COLUMBUS, Ind. – A Tennessee man was seriously injured Sunday afternoon after being struck by a motorcycle while trying to provide aid to a second motorcyclist who had been involved in a previous accident on I-65 in southern Bartholomew County.
The initial investigation by the Indiana State Police (ISP)-Versailles Post, indicated that a bicycle had fallen from a vehicle traveling south on I-65 near the 59-mile marker. The bike had come to rest in the far left lane when it was struck by at least two vehicles. One driver, Jonathan Brown, 27, of Lebanon, Tennessee, pulled to the shoulder because of damage from striking the bike.
A group of motorcyclists, who were traveling together, then approached the bicycle that was still in the roadway. One of them, Leslie D. Spillman, 62, of Lexington, struck the bike, crashed, and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Brown then left his vehicle on foot to assist Spillman.
Another motorcycle, operated by Darrell Brooks, 39, of Lexington, had passed the bicycle prior to Spillman’s accident. After seeing that Spillman had crashed, Brooks turned around and began traveling northbound on the southbound shoulder to respond. The Brooks motorcycle then struck Brown as he was walking towards Spillman.
Brown sustained serious injuries in the collision and was flown by medical helicopter to a Louisville hospital for treatment of injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.
The ISP investigation is ongoing. Alcohol and drugs are not believed to be factors in the incident.