A motorcyclist who was killed Friday afternoon in an accident on Cummings Highway has been identified as Arthur F. Todd, 56, of Fort Oglethorpe. The passenger in the wreck was Angela K. Ownby, 48, of Ooltewah. She is listed in stable, but critical condition at a local hospital.
Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched at 5 p.m. to the 2100 block of Cummings Highway for the report of a motorcycle accident.
Upon arrival, deputies found that a motorcycle heading south on Cummings Highway had run off the road into a guardrail. Both occupants had been thrown from the cycle.
According to witnesses, two motorcycles were riding in the outside lane nearest the guardrail when a vehicle driving in the inside lane veered into their lane causing one of the cycles to swerve and ultimately hit the guard rail.
Upon impact, the driver and passenger of the motorcycle were both thrown off the bike. Mr. Todd was pronounced dead at the scene by deputies and Ms. Ownby was flown to an area hospital via LifeForce Helicopter.
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office traffic investigators are asking for community assistance in locating the alleged vehicle which, according to witnesses, caused the motorcycle to swerve and hit the guardrail. The vehicle is described as a black, four-door vehicle with a bumper sticker on the right rear bumper with blue writing.
Anyone with information regarding this accident or the vehicle in question is requested to contact the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office at 423-893-3503.
No further details are available. Traffic investigators are investigating this incident.