Road Conditions Missouri

Missouri man first 2011 rally fatality

A 70-year-old Missouri man became the first fatality of the Sturgis motorcycle rally Tuesday after an accident near Deadwood.

Peter Diangi of Sunrise Beach, Mo., apparently lost control of his 2003 Harley-Davidson Road King on a downhill curve about 5 miles south of Deadwood around noon Tuesday, according to Sgt. Rick Miller of the South Dakota Highway Patrol.

Diangi's motorcycle was traveling at a high rate of speed. He was thrown from the vehicle when it slid into the ditch, according to Miller.

Diangi was not wearing a helmet.

By this time last year, four deaths were reported.

William Arnold, 55, of New Llano, La., meanwhile, remains in critical condition at Rapid City Regional Hospital after his motorcycle was struck by a semitrailer on S.D. Highway 79 near Hermosa on Monday.

Overall, traffic appears to be lighter than during last year's 70th annual rally, according to Capt. Kevin Karley of the South Dakota Highway Patrol.

This year, incoming traffic was down 14 percent on Saturday and Sunday before the official Monday start of the rally compared with 2010, when 601,324 vehicles were counted, according to the South Dakota Department of Transportation.

The more relaxed pace of the 71st rally is also being felt in the Meade County courthouse, according to State's Attorney Jesse Sondreal.

Based on his 11 years of rally experience, Sondreal said prosecutions are down. Rally prosecutions usually account for about one-third of the county's caseload.

This year's rally does not feel as "robust" as other years, he said.

"It's been fairly calm," Sondreal said. "The crowd seems to be relative calm and well-behaved."

Diangi's accident is typical of the majority of the accidents investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol during the rally, according to the highway patrol.

The usual crash involves motorcyclists over-driving road conditions and driving off curves, Karley said.

It is another indication that rally traffic is lighter this year, he said.

"The more congested traffic is, the slower the traffic moves," Karley said. "The less congested it is, the faster it moves.

Karley said traffic was heavier Monday and Tuesday than over the weekend. He predicted, however, that traffic will likely be lighter for the rest of the week.

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.

Two Firefighters Recovering from a Missouri Traffic Accident in St ...

Two Firefighters Recovering from a Missouri Traffic Accident in St. Francois County On August 8th around 4 p.m. two volunteer firefighters were involved in a Missouri traffic accident on their way to a house fire in St. Francois County . According to the responding officers the driver, William Nokes (36) was driving too fast for the wet road conditions on Highway B near Crocker Court. The tanker went off the road and flipped over. The accident totaled the fire truck tanker. I hope both firefighters experience a quick recovery from their injuries. They are very lucky to have survived such a terrible accident. It is important to remember that poor weather conditions can cause a Missouri traffic accident even a simple wet road makes a road more dangerous. An accident in a larger vehicle, like the tanker in this example, will be more likely to cause serious injuries or even fatalities. If you've been hurt in a St. Francois County traffic accident you need to read my book, "The Missouri Accident Book." Most people might say that you need to hire a lawyer after an accident, but this is not always the case. You will however need to be prepared for the situations that arise after your accident. The insurance adjusters will inevitably call. "The Missouri Accident Book" is a comprehensive guide of Missouri accident information that will help you deal with any post-accident situation. The book is FREE, order your copy today!

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Motor age

The American contractor

Insiders' Guide to Branson and the Ozark Mountains

Vernon's annotated Missouri statutes