JASPER COUNTY - by Steve Stewart/KJAS - What began as a patriotic gesture by several East Texas Christian motorcycle clubs for a U.S. soldier home from the Middle East turned tragic over the weekend when the group was involved in two separate major accidents.
About 75 motorcycles departed from Lufkin Shortly after 1:00 on Saturday afternoon. Their destination would have been Rayburn Country, where the organizer of the ride, Rick Schu, said they were going to present an American Flag to U.S. Army Master Sergeant Andrew Primeaux. Schu said Primeaux has served two tours of duty in Iraq, and most recently one tour in Afghanistan. Schu said Primeaux was visiting his parents in Rayburn Country, and the group just wanted to surprise him and thank him for his service to his country.
Unfortunately, that never happened.
Shortly after the group left Lufkin, two of the motorcyclists were involved in a major accident on Highway 69 in the Lufkin suburb of Huntington. One of the riders had to be flown by medical helicopter with serious injuries.
Schu said about 20 of the motorcyclists were too shaken to continue, so about 55 continued the trip to Jasper County.
When the group was eastbound on Farm to Market Road 1007 in Rayburn Country, tragedy struck again when two of the motorcyclists were involved in a crash with two cars, just east of Wingate Boulevard.
According to numerous witnesses, including motorcyclist Darrell Benjamin of Nacogdoches, an elderly man in a black car was westbound on FM 1007, and he slowed down when he saw the large pack of motorcycles. The man's wife said the lead motorcycle had flashing lights, which her husband thought may have been police lights.
The witnesses said a female driver in a silver Dodge Avenger passenger car was also westbound on FM 1007, and she came up behind the black car and wasn't able to stop.
A family member identified the driver as Kaysie Nicole Lovaas Alverado, and also in the car was her 3-year-old-daughter, Jaysie Lovaas.
The witnesses said the silver car struck the rear of the black car, which caused the black car to overturn and spin around into the pack of motorcycles.
Two female motorcycle riders then struck the rear of the overturned black car, critically injuring both. They were both flown from the scene on two separate medical helicopters.
One of the injured riders has been identified by her sister as 39-year-old Tracie Gonzales of Lufkin. The sister, Stacie Childers of South Carolina, said that Tracie is listed in very critical condition in a Houston hospital.
The name of the other rider, or her condition is not known.
Ambulances transported the driver of the black car and his wife, along with the 3-year-old girl in the silver car.
The accident remains under investigation by State Trooper Scott Folmer of the Texas Department of Public Safety. The names of all of those involved are not yet available.
Read more: http://www.kfdm.com/articles/collision-46718-blvd-raybu...z1kKPEuimM
So Tragic My prayers go out to all involved.
![Patriotic Ride turns Tragic - Forums [Biker Match]](/images/backgrounds/strips/8mobileLQ.jpg)
![Patriotic Ride turns Tragic - Forums [Biker Match]](/images/backgrounds/strips/8desktopLQ.jpg)
