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Driver cited, motorcyclist hospitalized following Monday crash in Craig

A motorcyclist was involved in an accident with another full-size vehicle Monday, Sept. 9 near the intersection of Eighth Street and Yampa Avenue.
Clay Thorp/Staff

Police in Craig issued an elderly woman a citation Monday after a motorcyclist suffered serious injury in a wreck on Yampa Avenue.

First responders were dispatched to a collision between a black 2018 Harley Davidson motorcycle and a green 1997 Chevrolet Blazer about 4 p.m. Monday to find one man lying on the sidewalk on Yampa Avenue, directly in front of Tunies and Such Nursery and Landscaping.

Craig/Fire Rescue and EMS personnel could be seen tending to the man, who was bleeding from an apparent head injury and could be heard pleading with first responders to help him.



In an email to the Craig Press Tuesday, Thom and Lisa Fisher said they assisted Craig resident Ken Wergin and another woman in tending to the rider moments after the crash. Wergin, a retired emergency respiratory therapist, is said to have helped keep the severely injured man stable using several child’s diapers from a nearby vehicle to stop the man’s head injury from bleeding until EMS arrived.

“The man was delirious after regaining a semblance of consciousness, and did ask for help among other things, but really did not know where he was or what was happening,” Lisa said Monday. “…We assisted Ken, but Ken deserves all the credit for the day.”



Thom added the area’s first responders to the ranks of those who may have saved the man’s life.

“Kudos first to Ken, then to the prompt and organized interaction of the various first responder agencies,” Thom said.

Agencies included Colorado State Patrol, Craig Fire/Rescue, Moffat County Sheriff’s Office, and area emergency medical personnel.

Emergency medical responders could be seen placing the man on a spine board and could be heard giving the motorcyclist instructions to try to calm him down before loading him into a waiting ambulance at 4:20 p.m. He was transported to Memorial Regional Health.

On Tuesday, Craig Police Department Capt. Bill Leonard confirmed Shirley Stehle, 92, of Craig, was issued a citation on a charge of careless driving involving serious bodily injury.

In April, first responders flooded the area near the intersection of Breeze Street and West Victory Way for a multiple-vehicle accident involving a very similar wreck wherein two motorcycles were traveling westbound on Victory Way when they were struck by a blue sedan traveling south on Breeze Street.

At least one rider was face-down in a street littered with collision debris as first responders worked to stabilize the man. An elderly gentleman, who witnesses said was the driver of the blue sedan, could be seen looking on intently as first responders worked to secure the area and direct traffic.

The elderly gentleman was later identified as Thomas Leroy Williams, 72, of Slater, who was issued a misdemeanor summons May 6 on a charge of careless driving resulting in serous bodily injury and a traffic citation on a charge of failure to yield right of way from a stop sign.

Leonard said while the city of Craig is working on painting several areas of the city as part of parking control, he’s unsure if properly painted curbs near intersections to prevent blind spots from parked cars contributed to this year’s crashes.

“I believe they’re still working on trying to get the painting done at the city,” Leonard said.

Leonard also confirmed the rider was transferred out of Craig.

“I know he was transferred out of Craig, but I don’t know his condition,” Leonard said Tuesday.

The victim was identified as Halbert Leinweber, Jr., by daughter Elizabeth Sale.

Sale said Tuesday her father had at least one successful surgery, but still remains in an intensive care unit at St. Mary’s in Grand Junction and has not regained consciousness.

Wergin said via social media he hopes Leinweber recovers.

“I hope the man will be alright,” Wergin said via Facebook. “It was a shock to run to the immediate after effects. Thanks to the ones that called 911 for me and helped me support the man.”


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