Teen’s motorcycle death is 13th of 2009 in state
Published 9:58 pm Thursday, April 9, 2009
MONROE — Monroe High School junior Cameron Klock on Wednesday became the latest number in a grim calculus.
The vibrant and spirited 16-year-old died in a motorcycle crash in his own neighborhood near the Echo Falls Country Club.
His death is added to the 12 other motorcycle fatalities statewide this year. Five of those deaths were counted here in Snohomish County.
Now, safety officials are calling the string of deaths an alarming trend.
“The classic motorcycle crash is always a car that pulls in front of a bike,” said Lt. Michael Turcott, who oversees motorcycle safety programs for the Washington State Patrol. “We don’t see many of those anymore.”
Instead, more riders are making fatal mistakes, Turcott said.
Officials believe all five of the motorcycle deaths in the county this year were accidents blamed on the motorcyclists.
On Wednesday, just before 5 p.m., Cameron likely was speeding on a high-performance bike through a no-passing zone, Snohomish County sheriff’s spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said.
The boy reportedly was attempting to pass a car on the left. The 2003 Yamaha motorcycle crashed when the car turned left, Hover said.
Cameron couldn’t be revived.
Teachers on Thursday morning shared the news of Cameron’s death with students during first-period classes. Extra counselors were on hand and space was set aside where grieving students could go.
“Cameron will be missed by all of us, and our hearts are with his family and friends,” Principal John Lombardi said in a letter sent home to parents and posted on the school’s Web site.
Lombardi provided a list of tips to help parents talk with their children, urging them not to be afraid of expressing their own feelings and to understand that “a teen’s grief can come and go in a roller coaster of emotions.”
School officials described Cameron as a boy who had lots of friends.
“It was just a hard, hard day,” said Rosemary O’Neil, a Monroe School District spokeswoman.
Speed appears to have been a factor in the crash, Hover said. The boy was wearing a helmet.
“These types of things motivate me to work harder to prevent future tragedies,” said Turcott, the State Patrol lieutenant. “I am happy to be the bad guy that writes the ticket or makes the arrest that causes someone to be a little safer.”
Motorcyclists in Washington are required to obtain a special endorsement. If the rider is under 18, they’re required to have a parent’s permission and complete a riding safety course.
Cameron’s motorcycle permit had expired. He had passed a written test, but didn’t have the endorsement to prove he’d completed the safety training classes.
“It’s very clear that an unendorsed rider is not qualified to be on a motorcycle,” Turcott said.
The teen’s death comes after a serious motorcycle crash in Monroe on Tuesday night that sent a 36-year-old man to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
On Sunday, two motorcyclists died in crashes in Pacific and Pierce counties. A third rider was critically injured in Lewis County.
Two weeks ago, James Gabehart, 52, died south of Granite Falls when his motorcycle slid into a ditch.
April typically begins the season when motorcycle fatalities increase, said Stephen Stewart, manager of the Washington Motorcycle Safety Program.
As the weather warms, riders may return to the roads too quickly.
“People take bikes out of the garage without really thinking about tuning up the most important part of the machine and that’s their brain,” he said.
It’s best to begin the season slowly and practice challenging maneuvers, he said. Training classes also are offered for intermediate riders.
Soaring gas prices in recent years have made motorcycles appealing as an affordable form of transportation, Hover said.
“Not everybody riding a motorcycle is an experienced rider,” she said. “Some of them are riding them too fast and taking risks they shouldn’t take.”
On Thursday, news of Cameron’s death spread through the community.
Snohomish cattle rancher Elsie Covey knew the teenager and his family through the county Cattlemen’s Association.
She fondly remembered talking with Cameron about cows.
“He was such a nice young boy,” she said.
Covey said she reached out to the grieving family when she heard the terrible news.
“When you lose a child, what can we do?” she said.
Herald writer Eric Stevick contributed to this report.
