A motorcycle crash has left a man is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after he struck a fire hydrant in Dartmouth Sunday evening.
Halifax Regional Police say two sport bikes were traveling north on Windmill Road just before 8 p.m. when one of the riders failed to negotiate the turn on a bend in the road and crashed into a fire hydrant, sheering it off at the base.
Passerby Shawn Brockley used his first-aid training and helped the rider until emergency crews arrived.
“My wife had called 911, so I just got down with the guy. You could tell he was in rough shape. He wasn’t conscious, there was shallow breathing, and there was a little bit of blood in his mouth,” says Brockley.
According to motorcycle instructor Tony Fountain, losing control on a turn is the most common type of accident.
“Sport bikes are designed to go fast but the roads, like I say, are not capable of dealing with the speeds. Riders generally aren't capable, they don't have the skills to deal with the amount of power the motorcycle has,” says Fountain.
Brockley says there were two men at the scene, but the second drove off before help could arrive and the rider wouldn't give his name.
Police are looking for the second rider but won’t say if there are charges pending against him.
“What's important is that he come forward and do the right thing, and provide any information that might help us in this investigation,” says Const. Dianne Penfound of Halifax Regional Police.
Brockley says potential charges shouldn’t matter.
“This is your friend. You left him laying on the side of the road, dying, with a total stranger. That speaks volumes about his character. I don't care if he thinks he's in trouble or not, he needs to come forward. He needs to speak to police and give his side of what happened,” says Brockley.
There is no word yet on how the status of the injured rider.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Emily Baron Cadloff
