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Valley Springs, CA – The CHP has released the names of two people flown from the scene of a motorcycle versus van crash on Highway 26 this past weekend.
The collision happened east of Double Springs Road around 2:30 p.m. Saturday (April 17), as earlier detailed here. The CHP reports 61-year-old Leslie Simmerman of Manteca was riding a 2017 Harley Davidson motorcycle westbound on the highway while heading in the opposite direction was 30-year-old Gabriel Kenny of Modesto driving a 2020 Ford transit van.
Simmerman lost control of the bike and crossed over the double yellow lines, according to San Andreas Unit CHP spokesperson Toby Butzler. He added that the van’s driver swerved to the right to avoid the crash, but the motorcycle collided into the van’s left front side with the wreckage blocking the eastbound lane. The roadway was shut down for nearly an hour and then officers direct one-way traffic for another 45 minutes as the wreckage was removed.
Simmerman and his passenger 54-year-old Lisa Gumm of Stockton sustained major injuries and were flown to separate Modesto Hospitals.
Written by Tracey Petersen.
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