Carefree Highway Motorcycle Wreck Site

Aftermath of a Horrific Motorcycle Wreck - page 1

Seven weeks after a horrific motorcycle wreck near my house, I first photographed many items left at the scene in remembrance of the victims. [Updated March 25, 2011]

On March 25, 2010, a dump truck moving at speed plowed into and over a group of eight motorcycles waiting in line at a stop light at Carefree Highway and 27th Drive. A huge fire immediately engulfed the truck and the victims, several of whom were trapped under the truck. The driver said he was looking down fishing for some papers, and was later found to have illegal drugs in his system. Witnesses rushed from a nearby Walgreens drug store, but they were unable to help the victims trapped under the truck due to the flames. Four riders died in the accident, and several more were critically injured.

There are two ways out of my housing area, and this is one of them. I drive my car or motorcycle through this intersection almost every day.

I took some of these photos on June 12, 2010. Additional photos added taken March 23 and March 25, 2011.

In late June 2010, the bandanas were removed from the trees, but the items left on the ground remain. The old bandanas were made into quilts and given to the victims' families. On the one year anniversary of the wreck, new bandanas were hung.

Click on an image to see a larger version, then keep clicking to advance through them.

From online news reports - March 25, 2010, eight motorcycles were run over by a dump truck while they were sitting in traffic at a red light at 27th Drive and Carefree Highway. The driver never applied the brakes. At least one car in front of the motorcyclists was also destroyed by the impact. The tree visible in the lower left was gradually covered with bandanas left by passing motorcyclists in remembrance of the victims.	More items left in memoriam at the accident site.	Bandanas let in memoriam wave from a small tree at the accident site. A larger tree was completely covered by other bandanas.
Bandanas left in memoriam at the March 25, 2010 accident site at Carefree Highway and 27th drive. After seven weeks, this tree was filled, and a second smaller tree as well. The bandanas were mostly removed in late June. The bandanas were made into quilts and given to the victims' families.	A large get-well card left at the accident site.	Many items have been left in memoriam to those killed and injured at the March 25, 2010 accident site at 27th Drive and Carefree Highway.