MOTORCYCLIST INJURED IN CRASH

Sheffield Township – A crash on Ridgewood in Sheffield left one man was injured, a woman cited and a neighborhood saying “Look Twice, Save a Life.”

Trooper Joran Cottom of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said 21 year old Jeremiah Avalos was traveling south on Ridgewood on a motorcycle when he was struck by Janie Fortney who was traveling north and attempting to turn left into her driveway. “She said she just didn’t see him coming. She wasn’t on her phone or texting, she just didn’t see him.”
When the two collided Avalos was thrown from the bike and went up over Fortney’s truck before landing on the driveway. Neighbors rushed to Avalos’ aid and cared for him until Sheffield Township Firefighters arrived and began treating him.
Avalos was treated at the scene and then transported to Avon Emergency Care Center. He was later flown to MetroHealth in Cleveland with head, neck, leg and arm injuries.
Trooper Cottom said Fortney would be cited for Failure to Yield a Left Turn.

While conducting the crash investigation the parents of Avalos approached Trooper Dave Dylag and asked him if he remembered stopping their son one week ago. Dylag and the parents spoke about how he stopped and cited him for not wearing a helmet while he only had a temporary motorcycle endorsement. The parents said he has always worn the helmet since and told Dylag “that might have saved his life today.”


Just down the street there is a sign in a neighbor’s front yard that reads “WATCH FOR MOTORCYCLES – LOOK TWICE… SAVE A LIFE!”


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