Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[DavidB]

Motorcyclist dies after crash on Dragon
 
By Iva Butler
of The Daily Times Staff



An Indiana motorcyclist died Tuesday of injuries he suffered in a crash on the Dragon the day before.

John C. Breeze, of Mount Vernon, Ind., was seriously injured Monday in an accident around the 8-mile marker of U.S. 129 going toward Deal’s Gap.

The crash occurred on a vacation of co-workers and family members.
Ricey Breeze, 25, also of Mount Vernon, was vacationing with co-workers Phillip Yates, Doug Tingley and Curtis and wife Tresa Phillips of Evansville, Ind., at Cherohala Motorcycle Resort in Tellico Plains.

His father, John C. Breeze, 50, wanted to join the group, Yates said in an interview. “We first met John on Sunday,” he added.

The group spent Sunday night at Cherohala Motorcycle Resort and Monday afternoon went to ride the Dragon, an 11.1-mile stretch of U.S. 129 with 318 curves.
The Indiana group and hundreds of other riders were on The Dragon that day.
Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Bryan Martin said Breeze’s black Harley-Davidson Electra Glide came around a curve and went wide, and possibly his foot rest hit the pavement, which threw him into a 3- to 4-foot ditch on the opposite side of the road.

Breeze was critically injured but a doctor in the group behind the Indiana residents was able to revive him until a Rural/Metro Ambulance nearby picked him up. Breeze was transported to the power house at Calderwood where a Lifestar emergency helicopter flew him to University of Tennessee Medical Center.

Yates said the group stayed with Ricey Breeze at the hospital until family arrived later Monday night from Mount Vernon.

He said John Breeze suffered at least three episodes of cardiac arrest at the hospital. He apparently died of massive heart failure.

His funeral is planned for 10 a.m. July 8, in Mount Vernon. The family is waiting until all the family and friends can get to Mount Vernon to have the service, Yates said.

He thanked the people who helped them during the crisis. “The people at Deal’s Gap. law enforcement, paramedics and the hospital were very kind and helpful. We really appreciate the way we were treated,” Yates said.

Breeze is the 10th person and the sixth motorcyclist to die on Blount County roads this year. At this time last year, 13 people had died as the result of traffic accidents.


Originally published: July 04. 2008 3:01AM
Last modified: July 03. 2008 8:32PM

[MUFFMAN]

Another tragic loss. May he rest in peace. THE MUFFMAN

[alf]

May God bless his family and friends, see yeah in heaven bro!

[BigR55]

Sorry  read of his death. I did not know him personally but Sawyerghost & I live about 15 miles from Mt. Vernon. I think he may have been a local HOG member.   

[sawyerghost]

We are so sorry to hear of this terrible accident.
John is a member of our local HOG group.
Our prayers go out to him and all of his family.

[miker]

My condolences....

[Capo]

My thoughts are with the family and friends of this young man.

Ride Safe!

[mopartech]

         First, all i can say is my heart goes out to John's family.  I worked with John for a few years, and we became close friends.  I had alot of problems then, he helped with some, other he couldn't reach.  He was sort of like a Father figure to me. Ricey, if you ever read this, know this, your dad was never prouder of you then the day you won that mudbogg in that old blue dodge.  He carried that trophy around like he had won the lottery.  I never really met his daughter, she was still young at the time.  I was not aware of the funeral, or his accident until yesterday.  I would have came. I haven't talked to John since we stopped working together.  That i regret.                                                                                                                                    John I apologize for my young stupidity, and your not the reason I left. I'm just sorry I couldn't tell you myself.     
                                                                       Sincerely,
                                                                                   erb

[amigo Jorge]

Another dragon loss..... sorry

[spydglide]

Wow, that's beginning to add up to a lot of accidents and even, deaths on the Dragon.  I wonder how long they will continue to put up with people racing up and down that stretch of highway?  It's own notoriety may be it's demise yet.  spyder