ANOTHER MOTORCYCLIST DIES
Impaired causing death charge laid
Police have charged a 23-year-old Windsor man with impaired driving causing death, after a 64-yearold motorcyclist was killed in a two-vehicle collision in Lakeshore Saturday morning.
Jacob Cesare, 23, remained in custody Sunday pending a bail hearing, according to an OPP update.
The motorcyclist, identified by police as Armando Zilio of Lakeshore, became the fourth area motorcyclist killed since June when his Harley-Davidson and a car collided at Patillo Road and County Road 42.
On Saturday, Jay Denorer, OPP media relations officer based at the Chatham-Kent detachment, confirmed that alcohol was a “contributing factor” in the case.
The accident occurred at 6:30 a.m. and police blocked off County Road 42 between Lakeshore Road 103 to the west of the intersection and Lakeshore Road 105.
The OPP’s traffic collision investigators were on the scene and County Road 42 remained closed for much of the day.
“The motorcycle was westbound (on County Road 42) when the car heading east was about to make a left-hand turn onto Patillo,” Denorer said.
“The car turned left in front of the motorcycle causing the collision.
“The 64-year-old male was pronounced dead at the scene.” Denorer said road conditions were dry and clear and the weather was clear at the time of the accident.
Wide-open farm fields surround the intersection affording motorists good visibility.
With speed limits ranging from 80 km/ h to 60 km/ h on either side of the intersection, Denorer said the impact of the collision would have been significant.
OPP officers could be seen combing the ditch on the south side of County Road 42 up to 100 metres away from the point of impact. Officers picked up a boot in an adjacent field some 70 metres from the intersection. Investigators were also conducting skid mark tests to confirm speed and road conditions at the time of the collision. “Drivers need to especially look out for motorcyclists around times like 6:30 a.m. when the sun is just getting up,” Denorer said. “Slow down, check and check again.”
If you’re drinking the night before, you need eight to 10 hours of sleep and to eat a meal before you should feel comfortable driving.
Denorer said there’s been an increasing trend in motorcycle accidents in the past year or two. Windsor and Essex County average 18 to 20 motorcycle accidents annually, but this year there were 20 motorcycle accidents by midAugust.
Denorer pointed out at least two of the last four fatal motorcycle accidents involved alcohol. He noted that finding drivers impaired at 6 a.m. is not unusual anymore.
“I’ve been a police officer for 18 years and it’s something we’ve seen increasing,” Denorer said. “People go out drinking and think, iftheygetoneortwohourssleep,they candrive.Ifyou’redrinkingthenight before, you need eight to 10 hours of sleep and to eat a meal before you should feel comfortable driving.”