SPOONER, Washburn County, Wis., Sept. 17, 2026 — One person died on Monday morning, September 14, in a crash involving a pickup truck and a motorcycle on US Highway 63 near Spooner, according to authorities.
The Wisconsin State Patrol reported that the crash happened around 8:15 a.m. at the intersection of US 63 and DVM Road. A pickup truck towing a boat was headed south on US 63 and turned right onto DVM Road, while a second pickup that had been stopped at that intersection then turned north onto US 63 and collided with a motorcycle traveling south, according to the state patrol.
The motorcyclist, reportedly a 34-year-old man from Shell Lake, Wis., was taken to Spooner Health, where he was pronounced dead. His name has not been released while relatives are notified, according to the state patrol.
No other injuries were reported in connection with the crash. The circumstances leading up to the turn that preceded the collision remain under investigation.
Our sympathies are with the family of the person who lost their life.
Why Left Turns Put Motorcyclists at Risk
Crashes between motorcycles and turning vehicles tend to follow a familiar pattern: a car or truck waiting to cross or enter a roadway misjudges the speed or distance of an oncoming rider and turns into its path. Motorcycles present a smaller visual profile than cars or trucks, so drivers scanning for a gap in traffic can look right at a bike and still not register it in time.
The problem is worse at intersections with multiple lanes or turn lanes, where a driver’s attention is split between several directions of travel and different types of vehicles. A driver focused on one moving vehicle can fail to notice a motorcycle approaching in an adjacent lane until the two paths cross.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 41 percent of motorcycle riders who died in single-vehicle crashes were alcohol-impaired in 2023. Left-turn collisions, by contrast, typically involve two vehicles and hinge less on impairment than on a driver’s failure to see or correctly judge an oncoming rider’s speed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do motorcycle crashes tend to cause more serious injuries?
Riders have no frame, airbags, or seatbelt between themselves and the road or another vehicle, so crash forces are absorbed directly by the rider rather than by the vehicle structure.
How do left-turning vehicles cause collisions with motorcycles?
A driver turning across traffic can misjudge how close or how fast an oncoming motorcycle is, or fail to see it at all, and turn directly into its path.
What can drivers do to spot motorcycles more easily?
Checking twice before turning, allowing extra time to judge a motorcycle’s speed, and scanning intersections specifically for smaller vehicles can help drivers avoid pulling into a rider’s path.
What should someone do immediately after a motorcycle crash?
Call 911, avoid moving an injured rider unless there is immediate danger, and seek medical evaluation even if injuries seem minor, since some injuries are not obvious right away.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Crash in Spooner, MI, Wisconsin
Anyone involved in or who witnesses a motorcycle crash in Spooner should call the authorities right away and wait for law enforcement and medical crews to arrive. Riders and passengers should get checked at a hospital even if they feel able to walk away, since injuries like internal bleeding or fractures can take time to show symptoms.
It also helps to write down what happened while details are fresh, including where each vehicle was and which direction it was headed, and to get contact information for anyone who saw the crash. A copy of the official crash report from the Wisconsin State Patrol can be useful for insurance purposes once it becomes available.
