OFF THE WIRE
MUSKEGON, Mich. (WZZM) -- Motorcycle riders gathered Friday night in Muskegon to offer their prayers for a group of Muskegon-area bikers involved in a deadly Wisconsin accident.
Hundreds of riders and their families took part in the candlelight vigil at Heritage Landing in Muskegon.
Twelve members of the Muskegon Motorcycle Gxxg were on their annual ride to Sault Ste. Marie Thursday, and were passing through the town of Taycheedah, near Fond du Lac. They were northbound on U.S. Highway 151 when the driver of a car crossed the centerline and plowed in ten of the bikers, killing one and injuring eight others.
The collision killed Daniel Lee Winsemius, 59, of Twin Lake.
The other riders are:
Eric Charles Vandam, 52, of Muskegon, is in critical condition at Theda Clark Medical Center.
Douglas Wayne Williams, 58, of Muskegon, is in critical condition at Theda Clark Medical Center.
Douglas Allan Yonkers, 43, of Muskegon, is in critical condition at Theda Clark Medical Center
Marvin John Vanderkolk, 63, of Fruitport, was treated and released from St. Agnes Hospital.
William Brad Groom, 57, of Muskegon, was not injured.
Garry Lee Ferris, 52, of Muskegon, is at St. Agnes Hospital. His family is not releasing a condition update, said a hospital spokesperson.
Leland Roe Johnson, 58, of Muskegon, is at St. Agnes Hospital. His family has opted to not release any information, said a spokesperson.
Lawrence Charles Monroe, 59, of Muskegon, was treated and released from St. Agnes Hospital.
Paul Czekus, 57, of Ravenna, was treated and released from St. Agnes Hospital.
Guy Vernon Weersing, 58, and Mark Steven Messany, 51, both of Muskegon, were traveling with the group and were not involved in the crash.
All the members of the motorcycle group were wearing helmets during their ride around the Great Lakes.
For many at Friday's vigil, losing Winsemius is like losing a member of the family -- and like many families, when a member dies they come together to grieve and support each other.
"We are just one big family," says Kristen Brown of the 46 Posse Motorcycle Club. "We do things for each other, and that's why there is such an outpouring right now."
"There's a lot of support, a lot of love and pouring out of mutual respect for one another," says Bill Carothers, a spokesman for the Muskegon Motorcycle Gxxg.
The Muskegon Motorcycle Gxxg makes the men-only ride to Sault Ste. Marie every year. But the 2012 trip was turned into something tragic when a 25-year-old Wisconsin man with a history of drug and traffic offenses drove into the formation of motorcycles.
"He basically took out the whole group," says Carothers, who has spoken to survivors of the crash.
Mary Husid is the widow of a member of the Muskegon Motorcycle Gxxg. Her husband was killed ten years ago when a car collided with him on a motorcycle ride. She says accidents involving careless or distracted drivers are something families think about every time their loved ones take out their bikes.
"It scares the hell out of me every time," says Husid.
"It's always a possibility," say Patrick Corbin, whose wife was killed in a crash on her motorcycle. "Everyday is a possibility, absolutely."
Motorcyclists used Friday night's vigil as a way to raise money for the medical expenses of the victims, and the travel and lodging expenses of their families.
Husid says people may get the wrong idea from the name of the Muskegon Motorcycle gang. She says the members are people who work and live in the Muskegon community, and are bound by their love of riding.
"When people mention the word 'gxxg' and say it in a negative connotation, it's just very upsetting to all of us," she says. "This is a gxxg of people who love each other. That's all it is. They love and care for each other."
The driver of the car is identified as a 25-year old man from Hilbert, Wisconsin, who was wanted on a felony bail-jumping warrant, according to our news partner, the Fond du Lac Reporter. Court records also show the driver was previously charged with driving on a suspended license four times.
Investigators have not yet released the driver's name, but say he will likely face a charge of "homicide by negligent use of a motor vehicle." He was expected to be taken into custody after his release from a Wisconsin hospital.
The Fond du Lac Reporter contributed to this story
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/article/213805/14/Prayers-offered-for-motorcycle-crash-victims
