James Folden, left, and Trinity Bright, were killed in a motorcycle crash in 2015.
Image Credit: Contributed
November 18, 2016 - 11:30 AM
VERNON - The B.C. Coroners Service has released its findings into a 2015 motorcycle crash that claimed the lives of two North Okanagan men.
James Folden, 23, of Lumby and Trinity James Dale Bright, 24, of Cherryville died June 28, 2015 when the motocross motorcycle they were riding crashed into a parked utility trailer on East Vernon Road. Both were engaged to be married, and Folden had a newborn daughter.
The coroner’s investigation revealed Folden and Bright attended a party that evening, and were last seen around 4 a.m. leaving on a 2004 Honda CRF450 R motorcycle. Folden was driving and Bright was his passenger.
An RCMP crash analyst concluded the motorcycle failed to stop at the intersection of East Vernon Road and Black Rock Road.
“There were brake marks on the north shoulder of Black Rock Road, then the motorcycle became airborne for almost three meters,” coroner Margaret Janzen says in her report.
There were more brake marks where the motorcycle landed before striking a parked utility trailer.
The motorcycle was travelling roughly 48 kilometres per hour. The speed limit was 50 km/h. The road was in good repair, but the centre lines were worn off near the intersection and there were no painted lines defining the shoulders. There was a stop sign at the intersection, but no painted stop line, Janzen says.
Neither Folden nor Bright were wearing helmets or protective clothing.
Toxicology revealed Folden had a blood alcohol level of 0.18 per cent, which is considered a moderate to heavy level of intoxication. Because Bright was not the driver, the coroner determined no toxicology test was warranted.
Janzen ruled the deaths accidental and said alcohol was a contributing factor. She made no recommendations.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston or call 250-309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2016