73 year old Woman dies in Kane County crash after losing control of her motorcycle
A 73-year-old Bloomingdale woman was killed when she lost control of the motorcycle she was driving as part of a charity ride in an unincorporated section of Kane County, officials said today.
The accident happened at about 2:20 pm. Sunday in unincorporated Virgil Township in the area of Beith Road near Freeland Road, Kane County Sheriff's officials said in a press release.
The woman, Kathleen T. Skimerhorn, of the 200 block of Willow Lane, was pronounced dead Sunday at Delnor Hospital, officials said.
Skimerhorn was part of a group of about 100 motorcyclists who were participating in the Friends of Mike Thomas Charity poker run, officials said.
She was driving a 1996 Harley Davidson motorcycle east on Beith Road when she left the road near a curve, officials said. The motorcycle continued on the grass shoulder on the east side of the road, officials said and eventually went to the ground, injuring Skimerhorn, the only rider on the motorcycle, Kane County officials said.
Skimerhorn was not wearing a helmet, Kane County officials said.
Beith Road was closed for approximately an hour while the crash was being investigated, officials said.
A 73-year-old Bloomingdale woman was killed when she lost control of the motorcycle she was driving as part of a charity ride in an unincorporated section of Kane County, officials said today.
The accident happened at about 2:20 pm. Sunday in unincorporated Virgil Township in the area of Beith Road near Freeland Road, Kane County Sheriff's officials said in a press release.
The woman, Kathleen T. Skimerhorn, of the 200 block of Willow Lane, was pronounced dead Sunday at Delnor Hospital, officials said.
Skimerhorn was part of a group of about 100 motorcyclists who were participating in the Friends of Mike Thomas Charity poker run, officials said.
She was driving a 1996 Harley Davidson motorcycle east on Beith Road when she left the road near a curve, officials said. The motorcycle continued on the grass shoulder on the east side of the road, officials said and eventually went to the ground, injuring Skimerhorn, the only rider on the motorcycle, Kane County officials said.
Skimerhorn was not wearing a helmet, Kane County officials said.
Beith Road was closed for approximately an hour while the crash was being investigated, officials said.
A Lieutenant Firefighter dies after I-80 motorcycle crash
August 22, 2011 -- Joliet Fire Lt. Tarence Foster's firefighting gear was laid out on top of the dugout at Silver Cross Field in Joliet Sunday, where he was supposed to be playing left field in a charity baseball game.
Instead, Foster's family and colleagues were mourning him at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. He was pronounced brain dead Sunday morning and doctors were keeping him on life support so he could do one last charitable deed donate his organs.
The 13-year veteran of the Joliet Fire Department was riding his Harley Davidson westbound on Interstate 80 just before midnight Friday night when he hit an uneven surface on the roadway near the Chicago Street exit in southwest suburban Joliet. He lost control and was thrown from the bike, hitting the roadway, according to Illinois State Police Joliet District Sgt. Jim Powell. There was construction going on in the area and the highway was reduced to one lane. It appears he was not wearing a helmet.
Foster, of the 3800 block of Squires Mill Road in Joliet, was pronounced brain dead at 9:53 a.m. at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.
His colleague at the fire department, Capt. Jeff Carey, said Foster went through surgery Saturday and his friends and family were hopeful that he'd pull through.
"In my head I thought, everything's going to be fine," Carey said.
But word spread that Foster had been pronounced brain dead and firefighters from across the department flocked to his bedside at the hospital. He leaves behind a wife, Julie Foster, and two young daughters.
"He was one of those great guys. Always cheerful, always smiling," Carey said. "Happy to come to work and happy to see everybody."
In their single days Carey said he and Foster were "almost inseparable." They still saw each other often because they both played on the department's softball team. And Foster was supposed to play in the annual Guns 'N' Hoses baseball game between the Joliet police and fire departments. The event benefits the Easter Seals.
"We're mourning the loss of one of our brothers, and we're just trying to get through it at this point," Capt. Pat Futterer said. "[Foster]'s been a great asset to this station and we're going to miss him."
Foster worked on Ladder Truck 9 at Station 9 with Futterer. He was also in the Dive Team and Combined Area Response (CART) Team, which is a specialized rescue squad.
Carey said Foster grew up in Elwood and went to Joliet Central High School. Funeral arrangements are pending.
