Witnessed a bad motorcycle wreck this morning while on my way into town. Was the first one on the scene, stood by till the police, fire, and ambulance units arrived. When I walked up to the guy I just knew I was walking up to a dead man, but he was alive. Rode through the complete barrier system at the HOV lane entrance on southbound highway 45 approaching highway 1960. Went around me doing at least 90 mph, thought the HOV lane was open today (it wasn't), and hit the barriers at full speed. Broke through several barrier arms, a large, solid, metal gate, a cable mesh net, and another two barrier arms, leaving one last barrier arm untouched as the bike slid under it, and he flew over it. I parked my Jeep in the debris with the flashers on, got out and dialed 911 as I was walking up to where he was. He was still, motionless, and I couldn't hear anything until I knelt down by him and put my hand on his jacketed shoulder. He was saying over and over, "I though it was open, I thought it was open, I thought it was open." I was there for thirty minutes and when I left the ambulance crew was still working on him. His left leg is probably gone, I can't see how they'll save it. Other injuries were too well concealed by his leather gear so I'm not sure what else might have been wrong, but it has to be extensive. Full face helmet, heavy leather jacket, blue jeans, sneakers. On a sport bike. They don't call them zoom-splats for nothing.

And all on my next to last day in uniform.

Mac