Extreme speed blamed in deaths

By Ed Runyan

The motorcycle rider was practicing wheelies and other stunts just before the accident, witnesses said.

WARREN — Witnesses estimate that 38-year-old Jimmy May was traveling as fast as 100 mph on his Suzuki motorcycle Saturday afternoon when he collided with a car driven by 64-year-old Rylin Robinson, killing both men.

The investigation into the accident continues, but the speed of the motorcycle looks like the chief cause of the accident, said Detective Mike Stabile of the Warren Police Department.

Based on the skid marks and other physical evidence at the scene, it is possible to say that May’s motorcycle was traveling at least 50 mph as it headed west near May’s Merriweather Street Northwest home, Stabile said.

The speed limit is 25 mph.

Robinson was traveling south on Commerce, a short distance from his house on Clearwater Street, when May’s motorcycle collided with the driver’s side of the car near the driver’s door, pushing Robinson into the passenger side of his 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Stabile said. Robinson was not wearing a seat belt.

Robinson’s car had a stop sign, and May’s motorcycle did not, Stabile said. A witness who was behind Robinson said he saw a brake light, but it has not been determined whether Robinson stopped at the stop sign, Stabile said.

Robinson was taken to Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital, where he died. His death appears to have been caused by internal injuries, Stabile said.

May hit the Malibu, pushing it a short distance, Stabile said. May was wearing a helmet but appears to have suffered fatal head injuries, he said.

May’s 11-year-old son was in his front yard and observed the accident, Stabile noted.

After colliding with the Malibu, May and the motorcycle came to a stop just a few feet away, the detective said. May also died at the hospital.

Autopsies were performed Monday morning, but the results were not available Monday afternoon. Officers did not observe any indications that alcohol was involved in the crash, Stabile said.

Witnesses reported seeing May practicing wheelies and other motorcycle tricks on his 2005 Suzuki GSX1300R just before the accident, Stabile said.

According to cyclechaos.com, the Suzuki GSX1300R was considered the fastest production motorcycle on the market in 1999. The motorcycle is also known as Hayabusa, the Japanese word for peregrine falcon, known for its speed.

Since 2001, the motorcycle’s top speed has been limited by a onboard computer to 186 mph. It is the type of motorcycle ridden by Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger when he had a near-fatal motorcycle accident in 2006.

runyan@vindy.com