A 52-year-old Union man is dead after losing control of his motorcycle and crashing into a utility pole in Florence early Monday morning, police say. Troy Cherry was transported to University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he later died, according to the Florence Police Department.
The crash happened at approximately 1:37 a.m. near the intersection of Burlington Pike and Cavalier Boulevard, according to Eagle Country 99.3. Police say Cherry lost control of the motorcycle, which left the roadway and struck the pole, and as reported by FOX19, investigators believe alcohol may have been a contributing factor in the crash. That determination remains preliminary, and the case is still under investigation.
Florence police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash to call the department at 859-647-5420. No further details about the circumstances of the crash, including Cherry's speed or whether he was wearing a helmet, have been released.
A Deadly Holiday Weekend for Kentucky Highways
The crash occurred during Kentucky's statewide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Labor Day enforcement campaign, which ran through Monday and was aimed at curbing impaired driving after the state recorded 69 impaired-driving crashes and three deaths over Labor Day weekend last year, per the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety. State transportation officials had ramped up patrols across the Commonwealth heading into the holiday.
Cherry's death adds to the number of motorcycle fatalities reported in Kentucky this year.
Kentucky's Partial Helmet Law
Kentucky's Partial Helmet Law Kentucky law includes helmet exemptions for some motorcycle riders.
Federal crash statistics also show that motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes have the highest rate of alcohol impairment among all vehicle drivers, at 25 percent, and that 43 percent of motorcyclists killed in single-vehicle crashes nationwide were alcohol-impaired, according to NHTSA. The available passage does not establish an age pattern among fatal motorcycle crash victims nationally.
Boone County's Crash History
The crash occurred on Burlington Pike near Cavalier Boulevard in Florence.
The available reports provide no further details about charges or toxicology results as the investigation continues.
