(Press Release)
Photos courtesy Bridgeport Fire Department
On Sunday, March 16, 2014, at approximately 11:50 A.M., Mono County Sheriff Ralph Obenberger came upon a solo motorcycle collision on State Route 182, approximately eight miles north of Bridgeport. Sheriff Obenberger contacted the Mono County Sheriff’s Dispatch Center who dispatched Mono County Sheriff’s personnel, Bridgeport Fire Department, Mono County Paramedics and notified the California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) Bishop Communications Center (BICC).
A CHP sergeant and lieutenant responded from the CHP Bridgeport office and a CHP officer responded from the Walker area. The first arriving CHP employee, an Emergency Medical Technician, provided oxygen and emergency care to the victim while requesting a Care Flight helicopter from Reno be dispatched to the scene. Personnel from the Bridgeport Fire Department arrived on the scene, continued care and prepared the victim for helicopter transportation. Care Flight helicopter # 3 arrived on scene at 1:01 P.M. SR-182 was closed for 15 minutes while the victim was placed in the helicopter. She was flown to Renown Medical Center in Reno with major injuries.
The preliminary investigation indicated the rider, Susan Boos, 50 of Stateline, Nevada, was operating a black Harley Davidson Dyna Superglide traveling southbound on SR-182, among a large group of motorcyclists. For unknown reasons, Ms. Boos failed to negotiate the curved roadway and traveled onto the soft right shoulder. The Harley collided with a reflective roadway marker and the rider was ejected from the motorcycle.
Ms. Boos was wearing appropriate safety gear including a helmet, jacket and gloves. Alcohol was not a factor in this collision.
“The rider of this motorcycle was fortunate to be wearing a helmet and appropriate motorcycle riding gear, which prevented further injuries. This collision serves as a reminder to all of us of the rural nature of Mono County and the fact that travel or flight time to a trauma center takes hours, another reason to drive carefully, use seatbelt and motorcycle helmets” said R. D. Cohan, commander of the CHP’s Bridgeport Area.
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It was an un-marked SUV. We were EXTREMELY fortunate to have him drive by. While Teri had indeed activated her SPOT, that sends a one-way distress signal to 911 without description or ability to communicate. Then 911 places a call to the associated phone number to try and determine if it’s a false alarm. Given no response to the phone call, then they well roll someone, but maybe not an ambulance. The sheriff was able to contact dispatch directly and have them roll the proper assistance. Without him rolling by we probably would have waited an additional 30 minutes for true assistance.
Yes, officers are never truly “off duty”. He said he had been going to pick up another officer and attend a conference. His exact words to me were “The conference can wait.”
I am wondering if the sheriff was driving his patrol vehicle (it is unmarked) on a Sunday and why he would be 8 miles past Bridgeport. Mr Ribaudo made the comment “Passing unmarked car” that sounds like a county slick top to me. Hmmm…
Probably something to do with a Sheriff never being off duty and requiring comms with their department at all times. Not everything is a grand conspiracy.
Looks like a “press release” provided by the Sherriff’s office. No questioning reporter involved, either.
Provided by CHP. We have emailed them back to find out about the circumstances with the group of motorcyclists and calls or attempts to get help, but I see just now that riders who were there have told us what happened.
Benett Kessler
I was several places behind her and when I reached the scene, the other riders had already stopped and were attending to her. There was no cell signal in the canyon but I was able to activate my SPOT 911/Evac signal. A few of us then waited in the road to watch for traffic and luckily the first vehicle by was the Sheriff.
I am the President of the Tahoe Blue Riders Motorcycle Riding Club and was on the ride with Susan. We were in a location without cell service about 8 miles outside of Bridgeport. Several of those on the ride had emergency devices to alert first responders one of which was activated. Once the accident happened we secured Susan and the site. As luck would have it I flagged down a passing unmarked car which just so happened to be the Sheriff who called in for assistance. We continued to provide comfort to Susan and manage traffic and shortly thereafter Mono County Sheriff, the Highway Patrol, the Fire department and search and rescue volunteer arrived and took control of the situation. It was determined to airlift Susan which went flawlessly.
Much thanks and appreciation goes out to all the first responders they did an excellent job in a very rural area.
Carl Ribaudo
Hope she’s alright. Not fun to end up in a hospital for any reason.
Pretty much what I figured but the original article left out the details. Thanks. Stuff like that always seems to happen where there is a big dead spot in cell phone coverage.
There is no mention of her riding group trying to contact emergency services or if there was no cell phone coverage at that site. Just curious because you would think if she was riding in a group her riding friends would have been trying to help her, but no mention one way or the other in the article.