Very sad event near Cave Creek Arizona. Dump truck runs into large group of bikers stopped at red light. My heart and prayers goes out to the families of all involved and to those who came to the downed bikers aid. Three riders did not survive their injuries. Three lives ended and dozens of lives changed forever by the carelessness of one driver! Just shows, you cannot let your guard down, keep an eye in the mirrors. www.azcentral.com and www.abc15.com

This story makes my heart hurt; however, I was moved by the number of people that ran to the aid of the downed bikers and risked their own lives to pull the bikers away from the truck that would burst into flames just moments later.      

So true Mike ~ I train people who stand out in the road and control traffic... my first words to them are 'Never, ever turn your back to traffic' ~ we all need a 360 degree swivel to stay upright and alive. On a good day (last Saturday) I had no less than 6 vehicles cross the centerline coming into me ~ I don't get it. I ride, I drive and pay attention to what I do. 'Don't take us out because you can't stop your texting, cell phone chat ~ whatever...' ~ Thanks for posting this and once again to all ~ Please RIDE SAFE! They're out there :-(

Man that is unreal.

makes me sick and the truck driver will probley get off with a slap on the wrist but will have to live with what he did all because he just wasent paying attention

Prayers to everyone involved in that horrible crash . The Lord will take care and bless them, but that won't bring back the deceased. Hope the truck driver can live with what his carelessness has done.

My prayers go out to all those involved. What a senseless tragedy.

So sad but mostlikely so true bullmoose!

It wasn't a tragedy, it was a horriffic massacre! Shuffling papers? Hit an SUV and another vehicle AFTER he ran over the bikers? Many things in this article recieved more attention than they shoud have. A local restraunt owner closed closed for the rest of the day? That's a Catastrophe! How many of the Bikers have/had family? How many were/are grandparents? How many if any were Female riders? These are the things the press turns a "Blind Eye" to... That's one of the things that keeps the general public desensitized to OUR PRESENCE!!!

I totally agree, next month is the 7th anniversary of my 31 yr old cousins death--on that same stretch of road! Killed by a 71 yr old drunk driver that had 5 previous DUI's. He and his wife were on their way out on the scoot to celebrate their FIRST anniversary. His wife was in a coma for 2 months. The DD lost her license for a year and paid a fine! AZ State DA said "she's 71, what do you want me to do--throw her in jail?" CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!

another Dakota freebe

Prayers for everyone involved, I posted it on the Prayer Page for the ministry I am the technical adviser for http://www.gcmi.net/pray/

My heart to the families of the downed bikers and prayers for those recovering. I was in that same spot riding Thanksgiving, it's sends a chill up my spine. Gratitude to the folks that ran to help those in need, their humanity & kindness remind me there are good samaritans also, not just thoughtless assholes in cages. There better be 3 manslaughter charges pending. Thanks NoFrets for the local paper link. Ride safe & very defensive.

Chills up my spine. Thoughts and prayers with the lost and with all of the families. Tragic.

this is sick.. sad.. and like said a massacre.....chills watery eyes... hard to read.. dammmmmmm hard to look at the vid and pic's......the driver and the company...have to be held for the deaths ....playing with his papers.....

so what will the driver get... nada.....few fines maybe....i would make him stand and watch as each family members makes the plans for the lost loved one... make him watch as each is placed in the ground forever... make him watch as each family member walks in and out of hospital rooms in tears....

for the driver to me the best for him would be to have great health and live will over 100.. to have his memory crystal clears his complete life...to have hear each cry every day..for his complete life ....to have him go to bed at night and reply all of it each and every night...

my thoughts and prayers to each rider and family member
each one of you will never ever be forgotten
at the time that your life came to a end.... you were doing what made you smile and made you happy that says a whole lot about you.....
ride the skys now... you have thousands there waiting for you.....

Hearing this story made my heart feel sad for the fallen riders. This tragedy happened no more than 4 miles from my home. People need to be more aware of us bikers. My prayers are with the families and the other riders recovering from injuries.

I am reduced to tears with this horrific news. My heart and prayers to all of the injured and deceased and those close to them.

So sad..so much waste..unfulfilled lives cut short. Makes me live out every day with as much enjoyment as i can get. Only consolation is they went , doing what they loved, ar dheis De go bhfuil d'ainm (may they sit at Gods right hand..Irish)

Well said rory.

Such devastation in the blink of an eye. Let us all be forever diligent in being aware of our surroundings and always, ALWAYS give our selves an "out" when we're out on our bikes. I don't know how that driver is going to be able to live with himself. Anytime any one of us does something to distract us from our primary focus of operating a motor vehicle, we are reckless, irresponsible, and simply stupid. There is no excuse for us to ever take our mind and eyes off the road when we are behind the wheel. All of this was so preventable. In the blink of an eye... everything changed. This makes my heart hurt. So many tears... lives altered forever... great sadness.

I will never understand how a person can be so incredibly stupid and irresponsible. I just want to scream right now. If I had actually been there and seen that happen, I honestly don't know what I would have done, but there's a pretty good chance that driver wouldn't have been walking away. Sorry, I know that's not the "Christian" sentiment I should be sharing, but this stuff just makes me so angry. Tears and prayers go out to the families.... Guys, keep praying, too, the other 6 riders are still in critical/serious condition; they need us and our prayers too!

in texas, if holding a cdl, that irresponsibility would net you a charge/charges of involuntary manslaughter, don't know about az, personally, that should net you thirty minutes in a room alone with all the family members involved. and no interruptions for the thirty minutes. so many times these people get off with a warning, no real punishment for their actions. here is a real good example of the problem if the driver gets off.

Yeah, why is it "against the law" if you're drunk and kill someone, but not if you're just flat careless and stupid? In Ohio, if I got drunk and killed three people, I'd AT LEAST loose my license, probably do some jail time, but if I was sober and just had an "accident" all I'd probably get is a failure to control citation. WHY?

How many more people have to be killed before the law starts punnishing this tragic criminal behavior.I am just sick over this and it has happened before in other places.No real penaltys for what can only be called murder.A vehicle is a weapon and you must handle it accordingly!