NORTH FORK — A day trip to the mountains ended in a serious motorcycle wreck for two Clovis residents. Fortunately an off-duty firefighter/ paramedic was one of the first passers-by at scene.
At 1:44 p.m., a call came in to 911 that a motorcycle had crashed on Road 200 on the south side of the bridge at Fine Gold Creek.
According to CHP, a couple from Clovis were southbound on Road 200 after a day trip to the Bass Lake area, when the driver lost control of their Harley Davidson Ultra Classic on the 25 mph corner at the bridge.
Several motorists stopped to assist, among them Alexander Vallejo and his wife Carrie, who were headed home after spending the weekend at her parent’s cabin at Bass Lake.
Alexander is a firefighter/paramedic at the Salinas Fire Department, and immediately went into triage mode, assessing the patients and rendering aid until help arrived. Both riders were reportedly awake and alert, but badly injured.
Also assisting at scene was an off-duty EMT with American Ambulance, Markelle Blanchard, who reportedly managed the scene, helped to control bleeding, loaded the patients onto backboards, and communicated the need for an air ambulance.
Cal Fire Engine 4255 and Madera County Fire Engine 611 responded, along with Sierra Ambulance personnel, who transported both patients to a landing zone at the Spring Valley School with major injuries. They were airlifted to Community Regional Medical Center by SkyLife air ambulance.
The roadway was closed down in both directions for nearly an hour while the injured were prepared for transport and the scene was cleared. Traffic was backed up for miles in both directions, especially southbound as people headed down the mountain after the long holiday weekend.
The accident remains under investigation.
