One hurt in car, motorcycle collision in LaGrange

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, September 1, 2015

LPD: Man airlifted for treatment

By Melanie Ruberti

mruberti@civitasmedia.com

A green Chevrolet Malibu sits on top of a Harley Davidson motorcycle on Lafayette Parkway near Davis Road after a wreck Tuesday afternoon. LaGrange Police Lt. Mark Kostial said the eastbound Malibu was turning left into the BP gas station when it hit the westbound motorcycle.

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/09/web1_MotorcycleAx13.jpgA green Chevrolet Malibu sits on top of a Harley Davidson motorcycle on Lafayette Parkway near Davis Road after a wreck Tuesday afternoon. LaGrange Police Lt. Mark Kostial said the eastbound Malibu was turning left into the BP gas station when it hit the westbound motorcycle.

Melanie Ruberti | Daily News

The front tires of a Chevrolet Malibu sit on the front wheel of a Harley Davidson motorcycle Tuesday afternoon on Lafayette Parkway near Davis Road after the two vehicles collided. A witness on the scene said the man on the motorcycle tumbled two or three times in the air before hitting the pavement.

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/09/web1_MotorcycleAx23.jpgThe front tires of a Chevrolet Malibu sit on the front wheel of a Harley Davidson motorcycle Tuesday afternoon on Lafayette Parkway near Davis Road after the two vehicles collided. A witness on the scene said the man on the motorcycle tumbled two or three times in the air before hitting the pavement.

Melanie Ruberti | Daily News

An Air Evac helicopter descends to land in the parking lot of the old JC Penney department store at LaGrange Mall on Tuesday afternoon to transport a man who was injured after a car struck the motorcycle he was riding. LaGrange Police Lt. Mark Kostial said the man on the motorcycle suffered a broken leg.

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/09/web1_MotorcycleAx33.jpgAn Air Evac helicopter descends to land in the parking lot of the old JC Penney department store at LaGrange Mall on Tuesday afternoon to transport a man who was injured after a car struck the motorcycle he was riding. LaGrange Police Lt. Mark Kostial said the man on the motorcycle suffered a broken leg.

Melanie Ruberti | Daily News

LaGRANGE — LaGrange police are investigating a near head-on collision between a green Chevrolet Malibu and a Harley Davidson motorcycle on Lafayette Parkway near Davis Road around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

According to LaGrange Police Lt. Mark Kostial, the driver in the Malibu, identified as Willie Ruth Render, 79, of Greenville, was eastbound in the center turning lane on Lafayette Parkway when she attempted to turn into the BP gas station. Kostial said Render told officers she collided with the motorcycle, which had just turned off Davis Road and was westbound on Lafayette Parkway.

The driver of motorcycle was identified as Ricky Bowen, 22, of Hogansville. An Air Evac helicopter landed nearby in the parking lot of the old JC Penney department store at LaGrange Mall and airlifted Bowen to Columbus Medical Center. Kostial said Bowen suffered a broken leg and underwent surgery.

Render was uninjured.

An witness on the scene told the Daily News he saw the motorcyclist tumble “two or three times up in the air” before hitting the pavement.

The front wheel of the motorcycle was wedged underneath the front tires of the Malibu.

LaGrange police and a detective shut down one lane of eastbound traffic on Lafayette Parkway for more than an hour while they investigated the accident.

Kostial said pending the outcome of the investigation, the driver of the Malibu may be cited in the crash.

Melanie Ruberti is a reporter at LaGrange Daily News. She may be reached at 706-884-7311, ext. 2156.