A 17-year-old motorcyclist from Lake Lynn is dead after his motorcycle collided with a box truck on Morgantown Road in Georges Township, Fayette County, early Thursday morning. Charles Plum was driving a Yamaha Virago 750 south on Morgantown Road at around 8 a.m. when he collided with the box truck driver, who was making a left turn onto Morgantown Road from Valley School Road at its intersection with the highway.
Fayette County Coroner Dr. Bob Baker determined that Plum died from blunt force trauma sustained in the crash and was pronounced dead at approximately 9 a.m. Thursday at WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital, according to the Herald-Standard. As reported by CBS News Pittsburgh, the Fayette County Coroner's Office confirmed Plum died in the crash and asked the public to keep his family and friends in mind as they mourn his loss.
The driver of the box truck was identified by Pennsylvania State Police as 51-year-old Irving Rice of Smithfield. Rice refused medical transport and was not injured in the collision, the Herald-Standard reported. Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the two-vehicle crash and reported that Plum was driving at a high rate of speed, per the state police report, and was not wearing a helmet at the time of the collision, according to state police.
A Familiar and Dangerous Intersection Pattern
The crash fits a pattern traffic safety data has long flagged as especially dangerous for riders. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data indicates that approximately 42% of fatal two-vehicle motorcycle crashes nationwide involve another vehicle making a left turn while the motorcycle is traveling straight, passing, or overtaking traffic. Morgantown Road forms part of the U.S. Route 119 corridor, a state-maintained arterial highway that serves as a primary north-south route connecting Uniontown through Fayette County to the West Virginia border, according to PennDOT.
Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation has reported that approximately 70% of all motorcycle collisions statewide occur at intersections, underscoring how vulnerable riders are even on routine turns. PennDOT also found that driver and rider behavior — including excessive speed, distraction, or failing to yield right-of-way — is a primary contributing factor in over 80% to 90% of fatal traffic crashes annually across the state.
Helmet Law and Youth Licensing Requirements
Under Pennsylvania law, 75 Pa. C.S. § 3525 strictly requires all motorcycle operators and passengers under 21 years old to wear a U.S. Department of Transportation-approved helmet at all times, with no exemptions available for minors regardless of experience or training, according to state statute. Pennsylvania licensing regulations also require 16- and 17-year-old motorcycle permit holders to hold a permit for at least six months, log 56 practice hours, and complete the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program Basic Rider Course before they can receive a Class M motorcycle license.
Federal traffic safety statistics establish that motorcyclists are approximately 24 to 28 times more likely per vehicle mile traveled than passenger vehicle occupants to suffer fatal injuries in a crash, a gap that highlights just how exposed young riders remain even when they follow the rules of the road. PennDOT reported that Pennsylvania recorded 2,927 motorcycle crashes resulting in 186 rider fatalities statewide in 2025, following 3,317 crashes and 219 fatalities the year before.
Fayette County's Recent Toll on Riders
Plum's death marks the second fatal Fayette County motorcycle crash Hoodline has covered in recent weeks. A July crash killed an Ohiopyle rider in Wharton Township, a case that was also investigated by Pennsylvania State Police and the coroner's office. Investigators have not yet said whether Plum will face any determination of fault, and the exact speed involved in Thursday's crash has not been publicly disclosed.
Pennsylvania State Police continue to investigate the circumstances of the collision on Morgantown Road, and no additional details about charges or citations have been released. The Fayette County Coroner's Office has asked the community to remember Charles Plum's family and friends as they grieve his loss.
