Motorcycle accidents overshadow weekend
<span>A pair of accidents involving motorcycles occurred less than 24 hours apart during the weekend, sending three people to various hospitals.</span>
<span>According to the Randolph County Sheriff's Office crash report, the first accident occurred at 7:20 p.m. Friday on Zeigler Mine Road near Sarah Road.</span>
<span>Coulterville resident Robert K. Dintelmann, 53, was driving a 2000 Harley Davidson motorcycle south on Zeigler Mine Road when he lost control attempting to negotiate a curve to the right.</span>
<span>The motorcycle left the roadway and traveled along a grass ditch before impacting the embankment, causing it to overturn and strike the embankment twice before sliding back onto the roadway.</span>
<span>Dintelmann was transported to Sparta Community Hospital with unspecified injuries. Deputy Noah Wunderlich responded to the accident.</span>
<span>On Saturday, a four-vehicle accident on Route 3 near Beare Grove Road in Ellis Grove involved three motorcycles and a passenger vehicle.</span>
<span>According to Illinois State Police Trooper Christopher "Joey" Watson, a 2010 Dodge Journey - driven by 41-year-old De Soto, Ill., resident Jason A. Hagler - was traveling southbound on Route 3 around 5:09 p.m.</span>
<span>The other three vehicles - a 1998 Kawasaki ZX6 (driven by 21-year-old Richard M. Knight of Cedar Hill, Mo.), a 2003 Honda (driven by 41-year-old Kevin A. Carron of Granite City, Ill.) and a 2000 Kawasaki (driven by 50-year-old Richard H. Knight of Cedar Hill, Mo.) were heading northbound.</span>
<span>Watson said the Journey swerved across the center line and struck the driver's side mirror of the ZX6. The Honda then struck the front and side of the journey, causing Carron to be ejected from the motorcycle.</span>
<span>The Kawasaki swerved to avoid the collision and overturned.</span>
<span>Hagler, Richard M. Knight and a 13-year-old male passenger in the Journey were uninjured. Carron received "incapacitating" injuries and was flown to a regional hospital.</span>
<span>Richard H. Knight received non-incapacitating injuries and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.</span>
<span>Hagler was cited for improper lane useage. Carron was cited for violation of classification, meaning he was not licensed to operate a Class M vehicle.</span>
<span>The crash report does not specify why Hagler crossed the center line or if the two Knights are related. The three motorcycle riders were all not wearing a helmet.</span>
<span>The accident is still under investigation.</span>