Early Saturday morning dirt bike crash was on Shingle Gap Road
WILKES, NC, (September 28, 2024) - The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is investigating an early Saturday morning dirt bike collision that claimed the lives of two people in Wilkes County.
Matthew Blankenship and Orin Harless lost their lives early Saturday morning in a dirt bike crash on Shingle Gap Road in Wilkes County.
According to authorities, a northbound Honda dirt bike operated by Matthew Blankenship collided with a southbound Suzuki dirt bike driven by 30-year-old Orin Harless along Shingle Gap Road around midnight.
Tragically, both Blankenship and Harless were pronounced dead at the site of the wreck.
Additional details were not immediately known.
CRASH INVESTIGATION
This accident underscores the dangers that motorcyclists face on our roadways each day. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 6,530 motorcyclists killed on U.S. roadways in 2021, an increase of 9 percent from 2020.
Candice Bond, an experienced motorcycle accident attorney, said in such cases, it is imperative to preserve evidence through an independent probe.
“In addition to a police report, an attorney will carefully review what may have contributed to the crash,” said Bond, Managing Partner at Bond Legal. “Your lawyer has the resources to hire expert witnesses, conduct drivers’ background checks, locate witnesses to the crash and review applicable insurance coverage. Serving as an advocate, an attorney can help compassionately guide the heartbroken family of a victim during this difficult time, protecting their legal rights while ensuring that a driver is held accountable after disobeying traffic laws.”
WRONGFUL DEATH CLAIM
Pending the investigation, the families of Matthew Blankenship and Orin Harless may pursue a wrongful death claim. Family members of wrongful death victims may seek damages for loss of companionship, pain and suffering, and emotional distress following a tragic or catastrophic accident such as this.
“The stress and sorrow can be extremely overwhelming after losing a loved one in an accident,” said Stefano Formica, of counsel at Bond Legal.
“We understand just what families must go through, and having their rights protected is vital. A wrongful death lawyer will stay updated on the official investigation and help ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected."
If you or a family member have been involved in a situation similar to this article and would like to speak to our national legal analysts Candice Bond or Stefano Formica free of charge, please use the contact information found on this page
(Candice Bond, Managing Partner, and Stefano Formica, Of Counsel, at Bond Legal, are the national legal analysts for Newsline. Newsline can and does use quotes from prior interviews with our analysts for our news articles. If you would like to contact Bond Legal to help you, please call 866-985-6515 or use the submission box found on this page. Legal analysts quoted may or may not be licensed in your state).
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