STURGIS, S.D. (KELO) — The 2024 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has recorded its first deaths from deadly crashes Monday — with one near Spearfish and one in the Rapid City District — according to the daily information from the South Dakota Dept. of Public Safety (DPS).
The DPS releases a Sturgis Rally Tally – a 24-hour (6 a.m. to 6 a.m.) recap for crashes, DUI arrests, drug arrests, citations and warnings for both Sturgis and the Rapid City district.
Note: Rally Tally numbers from DPS do not include data from the Rally’s official opening day Friday, Aug. 2.
According to the DPS, both fatalities were the result of crashes on Monday morning.
The first occurred at 10:14 a.m. near Spearfish in the area of mile marker 45 of U.S. Highway 85. The information from DPS says that 2023 Harley Davidson was heading south when a 2023 Toyota Tacoma turned onto Hwy 85 from the I-90 ramp.
The Toyota turned in front of the motorcycle, which hit the Toyota. The motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet, and was killed. The driver of the Toyota was wearing a seatbelt and was uninjured.
The second fatality came a little over an hour later, at 11:26 a.m. along Nemo Road near Rapid City.
DPS says a 2003 Harley Davidson was travelling west on Nemo Road in a group of riders, while a 2015 Harley was approaching from the opposite direction in another group.
As the groups entered a curve in the road, the rider of the 2015 Harley missed the curve, crossing the center line.
DPS says the rider of the 2003 Harley attempted to avoid a collision, but lost control and tipped the bike over, falling off in the process. The rider of the 2015 Harley was unable to avoid a collision, hitting the rider of the 2003 Harley on the road before also tipping over.
The rider of the 2003 Harley was not wearing a helmet and was killed. The rider of the 2015 Harley was wearing a helmet, and received life-threatening injuries.
These crashes, as well as others listed later, are being investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol.
Data
In addition to the newly recorded fatalities, the 24-hour period from the 5th to the 6th also brought increases in DUIs and drug arrests.
In total across the two districts, DUIs increased by 19, while total drug arrests, misdemeanor and felony, rose by 70.
Citations also increased, with 175 issued over the 24-hour period.
The rally also saw four additional injury crashes.
As for the running total, since August 3, DPS has recorded 69 DUIs, 208 total drug arrests and nearly 800 citations across the two districts. There have been 19 non-injury crashes, and 18 injury crashes.
Looking at the year-to-date comparison of 2023 to 2024, we see that fatalities are even for the third report of the rally, while DUIs, crashes, and citations are down. Drug arrests however are up from last year.
Non-Fatal Crashes
There were four non-fatal injury crashes in this 24-hour report. All four involved motorcycle riders failing to negotiate curves in the road.
You can find more details, here.
