Motorcyclist dies after apparent road rage incident
A 33-year-old motorcyclist died Wednesday evening after he was run over by a pickup truck following an apparent road rage incident.
Bay City Department of Public Safety officers and medical crews were sent to South Chilson and West Jane streets about 6 p.m. Sept. 23 after a report that a black Chevrolet Silverado had run over a motorcyclist.
Medstar Ambulance crews and the department's Fire Division treated the man, a Bay City resident, at the scene before taking him to a local hospital. He was pronounced dead despite lifesaving efforts.
Investigators learned that the motorcyclist and the pickup driver had been involved in an apparent road rage incident that went on for several blocks, the department said. The Silverado's driver, a 42-year-old Bay City man, was arrested and taken to the Bay County Jail.
Anyone with information can call the department at 989-892-8571 or Bay County Central Dispatch's nonemergency line at 989-892-9551. Anonymous tips can go to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-5245.
Does a criminal case decide a civil claim after a road rage crash?
No. A prosecutor decides whether to file criminal charges, and a criminal case asks whether the state can prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt. A civil claim is a separate case with a lower standard. It usually requires showing that the other person more likely than not caused the harm. Michigan Legal Center's explanation of options after being injured by a road rage driver in Michigan describes how the driver's conduct and the insurance involved shape a case.
Whether a crash was deliberate or careless can also affect which insurance pays a civil claim, because auto liability policies often exclude harm the insured driver intended to cause.
When more than one person's conduct contributed to a crash, a negligence claim can divide fault. Under MCL 600.2959, damages are reduced by the injured person's share of fault. A person whose fault is greater than everyone else's combined can't recover noneconomic damages.
Get help from Michigan Legal Center
Michigan Legal Center: the Law Offices of Christopher J. Trainor & Associates handles motorcycle accident, wrongful death and no-fault claims for injured people and families across Michigan. If someone you love was killed or you were hurt in a Michigan motorcycle crash, contact Michigan Legal Center to ask whether your situation is within its practice areas.
There is no attorney fee unless money is recovered for you. Case costs and fee terms are governed by the written fee agreement.
Families dealing with a fatal crash can also review Michigan wrongful death deadlines to understand how much time they may have to act.