Bucyrus police captain grateful to survive motorcycle crash, 'absolutely' will ride again
The motorcycle ride on Saturday, July 22, started off as a leisurely one for Bucyrus Police Capt. Tom Walker and his wife, Tracy. They left Bucyrus to head to his parents’ house just outside of LaRue in Hardin County − Tom on his bike and Tracy on her own motorcycle.
It was about 5:45 p.m. when Tom was in the process of slowing before a sharp curve at a speed of about 30 miles per hour, something he had done a thousand times before, when he hit ripples in the pavement.
“As I hit the first ripples, the bike started fishtailing, and according to my wife, I was attempting to maintain control, when the front wheel suddenly jerked left, and I was thrown off the bike. I struck the left side of my head first followed by the entirety of my left side, then rolled,” said Tom from his home on Tuesday.
He said he will often take turns a little slower than most to avoid laying a bike down.
Laws of momentum and gravity prevailed
"What I missed was a series of ripples in the pavement; likely made by farm equipment and large trucks slowing for the same curve. The last of these ripples had about a 5-inch divot in the center,” said Tom. “I felt the back of the bike hopping, then starting to fishtail. The last thing I actually remember is the handlebars being ripped from my grip and flying through the air. I was knocked completely unconscious, and came to a moment later, with my wife yelling, 'Answer me, Tom'!."
He said it appears the divot in the pavement locked his front tire and forced the wheel to suddenly go left.
“The laws of momentum and gravity never change, so the bike went one way, and I went the other,” said Tom.
According to the trauma staff, if Tom had not been wearing his helmet at the time, he could have suffered a pretty severe head injury.
“And no one knows what the outcome might have been. For me, I will certainly wear my helmet on any ride, even a short one,” said Tom, who did not always wear his helmet before the accident.
He said only a rider fully understands the freedom one feels while riding without a helmet.
“To be honest, I only wore my helmet part of the time before this accident. My wife, on the other hand, is adamant about wearing hers. When my wife started riding her own bike, we purchased helmets with Bluetooth technology so we could communicate on rides. This newly found love of riding together had moved me toward wearing mine far more often than not, but I still enjoyed the occasional trip without one,” Tom said.
Broken bones, bruised lung and road rash
The crash left Tom with seven broken ribs, a broken clavicle, and a bruised lung, shoulder and hip, all on his left side. He also has a little road rash on both elbows and his right knee.
“Doctors have said I will be off work four to eight weeks, depending on the amount of time it takes for the ribs to completely heal,” Tom said.
He said he will never impose his beliefs on anyone, but he will continue to dress for the slide, not the ride, wearing shirts, long pants, helmet and boots.
“As for basic advice for other riders, always pay attention to the road surface as well as your surroundings. Accidents can happen, even if there are no animals or other drivers involved,” Tom said.
He said his bike is still in pretty good condition.
“I have pretty extensive cosmetic damage to the bike, but the frame, engine, and major components all seem to be intact and functioning,” said Tom.
'We're blessed that we can continue'
When asked if he will ride again in the future, Tom responded, “Absolutely. It is something Tracy and I both love, and we're blessed that we can continue,” said Tom.
He said the outpouring from the community has been amazing.
“I would like to personally express thanks to my friends, family, and community for all the prayers and support. Words cannot describe how deeply indebted I feel to every first responder and hospital staff I've encountered along this journey. They were all so respectful, comforting, and caring,” Tom said.
“Foremost, I thank God every day. My wife and I shared a moment, in that we realized how truly blessed we are by God's grace and our marriage. We're both grateful it did not end on Saturday, July 22, 2023.”
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Bucyrus police captain now plans to wear helmet on every ride
