Motorcyclist killed in collision with Bee-Line bus in Croton
CROTON-ON-HUDSON – A New York City man was killed Thursday after his motorcycle collided with a Westchester County Bee-Line bus on North Riverside Avenue.
The man's identity was not immediately released, but Westchester County police said he was in his 30s. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. His body remained in the street, covered as investigators gathered evidence.
The crash, which occurred at 87 N. Riverside Ave., also known as Route 9A, shortly before 8 p.m., drew dozens of police and firefighters to the scene. Because the incident involved a county bus, county police investigators claimed jurisdiction.
Authorities said there were a few passengers on the bus at the time of the crash, but none were seriously injured.
Greg Gale, of Croton-on-Hudson, said he was driving north on North Riverside Avenue when he heard what sounded like the motorcyclist trying to downshift.
"It was like an explosion. The bike got broken in three pieces and the body got thrown maybe 25 feet in the air," Gale said. "By the time I got to the body … I looked down. His eyes were open. There was no pulse. He was dead."
The incident occurred in a matter of seconds, Gale said. His son, 19-year-old James Gale, also rides a motorcycle and speculated the driver may have been speeding.
"It was an absolute disaster," James Gale said. "He must have been moving pretty quick. (The bike) just shattered and exploded into a whole bunch of pieces."
County police said three accident investigators were to reconstruct the incident.
The initial belief was that the motorcyclist had been exiting Route 9 when the crash occurred.
Two other motorcyclists may have been traveling with the man; there were two bikes parked within the taped-off crash site, but police could not say whether those motorcyclists exited at the same time or arrived after the crash.
North Riverside Avenue and the northbound exit ramp off Route 9 were closed for several hours while authorities worked to remove the vehicles and the victim from the scene.
Staff writer Hoa Nguyen contributed to this report.