Dr. Rich
Arrested Development
As some of you know my son David took up motorcycle racing about three years ago. He worked his way up through the ranks to where he now has some sponsors and rides in the expert class in WERA.
This morning he called to let me know that a friend of his from San Diego (David lives there) had been killed at Buttonwillow yesterday morning. The man's name was John Arecheiga.
Daivd started as most young kids with a dirt bike. In college he graduated to the streets. Several of his friends have had serious accidents on the street and two have been killed. David along with his buddies would ride the canyons behind San Diego. My wife and I encouraged him to give up his R-1 where he rode on the street and to go to the track where we knew he would not face cross traffic and cars drifting across the center divider when riding. He went through several schools and got his novice license.
This is David racing in the novice class at Willow Springs
This is the new bike this year
This is David going out at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway about three weeks ago
During a race with experts and several professionals there was a bad crash in turn nine. My wife and I waited to see David return to the pits with the other riders but he did not come back. We quickly went toward turn nine and found David sitting up in the ambulance. He had been in the turn and either low sided or been touched in the back by another rider and gone down. The bike behind him had run over the top of him and smashed his left leg.
The new bike in the trailer bringing it back to the pits
The new bike in his truck at the hospital waiting for him to be released
This is a picture of the front his leg after about 3 days
David has still not regained full movement of his leg after three weeks. The doctors were amazed that the bones were not broken. The diagnosis is that the leg has compartmentalized... that means the skin has separated from the fat layer which has separated from the muscle which has separated from the bone. In between each layer is swelling.
I had not previously posted this because David loves racing his R-6. It is a passion for him and he has to follow his heart.
I believe he is shaken at the loss of a friend that he shared pit space with and they helped each other with their bikes.
Here is a picture of John. I got to spend the day with him at Las Vegas last year when he was in the pit next to David.
This is what appeared in the Bakersfield paper today... John Mark.... you will be missed.
DECEDENT'S NAME: John Arechiga
CITY OF RESIDENCE: San Diego
AGE: 40 Years
TYPE OF CASE: Solo Motorcycle Accident
DATE OF INCIDENT: May 10, 2008
TIME: 1045 Hours
LOCATION: Buttonwillow Raceway, Buttonwillow
DATE OF DEATH: May 10, 2008
TIME: 1148 Hours
PLACE OF DEATH: Kern Medical Center - ER
INVESTIGATING AGENCY: Kern County Sheriff/Coroner
Details: The decedent was a helmeted motorcycle racer who was practicing for a race. For an unknown reason the decedent lost control of his motorcycle and
crashed. The decedent later expired as a result of his injuries. An autopsy is pending for cause of death.
John was a popular WERA racer in the Southern California. He was also the Bridgestone distributor.
Accident occurred exiting the last "S" turns.
Racing is a dangerous sport .... Please be careful
This morning he called to let me know that a friend of his from San Diego (David lives there) had been killed at Buttonwillow yesterday morning. The man's name was John Arecheiga.
Daivd started as most young kids with a dirt bike. In college he graduated to the streets. Several of his friends have had serious accidents on the street and two have been killed. David along with his buddies would ride the canyons behind San Diego. My wife and I encouraged him to give up his R-1 where he rode on the street and to go to the track where we knew he would not face cross traffic and cars drifting across the center divider when riding. He went through several schools and got his novice license.
This is David racing in the novice class at Willow Springs
This is the new bike this year
This is David going out at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway about three weeks ago
During a race with experts and several professionals there was a bad crash in turn nine. My wife and I waited to see David return to the pits with the other riders but he did not come back. We quickly went toward turn nine and found David sitting up in the ambulance. He had been in the turn and either low sided or been touched in the back by another rider and gone down. The bike behind him had run over the top of him and smashed his left leg.
The new bike in the trailer bringing it back to the pits
The new bike in his truck at the hospital waiting for him to be released
This is a picture of the front his leg after about 3 days
David has still not regained full movement of his leg after three weeks. The doctors were amazed that the bones were not broken. The diagnosis is that the leg has compartmentalized... that means the skin has separated from the fat layer which has separated from the muscle which has separated from the bone. In between each layer is swelling.
I had not previously posted this because David loves racing his R-6. It is a passion for him and he has to follow his heart.
I believe he is shaken at the loss of a friend that he shared pit space with and they helped each other with their bikes.
Here is a picture of John. I got to spend the day with him at Las Vegas last year when he was in the pit next to David.
This is what appeared in the Bakersfield paper today... John Mark.... you will be missed.
DECEDENT'S NAME: John Arechiga
CITY OF RESIDENCE: San Diego
AGE: 40 Years
TYPE OF CASE: Solo Motorcycle Accident
DATE OF INCIDENT: May 10, 2008
TIME: 1045 Hours
LOCATION: Buttonwillow Raceway, Buttonwillow
DATE OF DEATH: May 10, 2008
TIME: 1148 Hours
PLACE OF DEATH: Kern Medical Center - ER
INVESTIGATING AGENCY: Kern County Sheriff/Coroner
Details: The decedent was a helmeted motorcycle racer who was practicing for a race. For an unknown reason the decedent lost control of his motorcycle and
crashed. The decedent later expired as a result of his injuries. An autopsy is pending for cause of death.
John was a popular WERA racer in the Southern California. He was also the Bridgestone distributor.
Accident occurred exiting the last "S" turns.
Racing is a dangerous sport .... Please be careful
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