Friends of a Forest Grove motorcyclist killed by a drunk driver this weekend, are relieved there's been an arrest. That crash killed 71-year-old David Weiss, and left his girlfriend Nancy Jo "Gigi" Ludwig with serious injuries.
The pictures of the crash are hard to look at. You can imagine the force it took to mangle the Harley Davidson. And the fear of watching that mini van swerve directly at you. Weiss was killed instantly on his bike.
It happened near Rhododendron, as the two were almost to Mount Hood where they planned to stay the night.
"I was stunned, absolutely stunned. Anytime we lose any riders, especially in this fashion, it's a tragedy," said Paul Hering, a friend and fellow member of A.B.A.T.E., a nonprofit safety and motorcycle awareness group. "It just reinforced to me what I tell, especially new riders. You never know when it's going to happen, so be as vigilant as you can be. You just never know."
Hering says Weiss had a sense of humor. He wore light up suits for Christmas last month. And there are photos of him winning hot pepper eating contests around town. But it was the retiree's love of his Harley that brought him out for his first ride of the day last Saturday morning.
"I put a broadcast out to everybody to show up to the Eagles lodge at 10 a.m. if you want to go for a ride and he was here a half hour beforehand sitting in the parking lot waiting," laughs Steve Cotterill, president of the Eagles Lodge Riders motorcycle group
These bikers advocate for safety. But there's not much you can do if there's drunken drivers on the road.
Robert E. Walsh, 54, of Gresham, was driving that minivan. He's been charged with manslaughter, assault, reckless driving and DUII.
"I'm happy he's at least charged with something," Cotterill said. "You see so many of them just walk away from it."
Friends plan a memorial motorcycle ride in Weiss' honor as soon as the weather improves.