Motorcyclist dies, wife injured after striking barbecue
By Debbi Baker, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 10:02 a.m.
ESCONDIDO — A man was killed and his wife was injured early Tuesday when they were thrown from their motorcycle after running into a barbecue that had fallen onto a North County freeway.
The couple, identified as David Jensen, 49, and Bernadine Jensen, 52, of Lakeside, were heading south on Interstate 15 just north of Via Rancho Parkway on a 2005 Harley-Davidson about 12:35 a.m., said California Highway Patrol Officer Eric Newbury.
They were traveling in the fast lane when they struck the barbecue, which had fallen off a vehicle.
“They drove right into it,” Newbury said.
The impact sent the grill rolling into one of the middle lanes, where it was hit by 2008 Toyota Prius being driven by a 31-year-old Carlsbad woman, authorities said.
The car hit the barbecue and then struck David Jensen, Newbury said.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife suffered a broken left ankle and other injuries and was taken to a hospital, Newbury said. The driver of the Toyota stopped.
Officers are investigating and will determine if there were any witnesses who saw the barbecue come off the vehicle, Newbury said.
If that driver can be located and it can be proved that the driver was aware that something fell out of the vehicle, the motorist could face criminal charges or be held civilly liable. According to state law, the only thing that can legally come off a moving vehicle is water and bird feathers, Newbury said.
All southbound lanes of the freeway were shut down until just after 3 a.m.
By Debbi Baker, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 10:02 a.m.
ESCONDIDO — A man was killed and his wife was injured early Tuesday when they were thrown from their motorcycle after running into a barbecue that had fallen onto a North County freeway.
The couple, identified as David Jensen, 49, and Bernadine Jensen, 52, of Lakeside, were heading south on Interstate 15 just north of Via Rancho Parkway on a 2005 Harley-Davidson about 12:35 a.m., said California Highway Patrol Officer Eric Newbury.
They were traveling in the fast lane when they struck the barbecue, which had fallen off a vehicle.
“They drove right into it,” Newbury said.
The impact sent the grill rolling into one of the middle lanes, where it was hit by 2008 Toyota Prius being driven by a 31-year-old Carlsbad woman, authorities said.
The car hit the barbecue and then struck David Jensen, Newbury said.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife suffered a broken left ankle and other injuries and was taken to a hospital, Newbury said. The driver of the Toyota stopped.
Officers are investigating and will determine if there were any witnesses who saw the barbecue come off the vehicle, Newbury said.
If that driver can be located and it can be proved that the driver was aware that something fell out of the vehicle, the motorist could face criminal charges or be held civilly liable. According to state law, the only thing that can legally come off a moving vehicle is water and bird feathers, Newbury said.
All southbound lanes of the freeway were shut down until just after 3 a.m.
