Tracy Press

 
Grieving relatives of a Tracy man killed last week in a motorcycle accident dispute assertions made by the CHP, such as a claim that he wore no helmet.

David James, 47.

The California Highway Patrol reported that last Friday at about 1:55 a.m., David James, 47, lost control of his bike on a curve on Camino Tassajara between Dublin and Danville. He was thrown from his 2004 Harley at about 65 mph into a pole and a well pump before he landed against a building. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

But what adds pain to his already distraught mother, sister, wife Rene James and friends is that fact that the CHP reported he wore no helmet.

He did wear a helmet, they insist, and it was lying with a hole in it on the ground at the crash site with all his other belongings, which some of his friends and relatives cleaned up the day after the crash.

James’ family suspects he might have fallen asleep on the bike. But they say, too, he was an animal lover who would have swerved to avoid hitting a deer. The CHP said the curve in the road is posted at 40 mph, but his sister Lori Veitenheimer of Spokane, Wash., said he could have taken that turn safety at the speed he was traveling when he crashed.

It was a road he knew well, said his mother, Mary James.

His relatives said he was returning from the home of a friend and former co-worker, Chuck Jackson, 54, of Danville. The two hung out together that night, smoked a cigar or two and watched the Olympics, Jackson said.

Jackson worked with James for years at Pitney Bowes in Oakland, a large manufacturer of mailing machines and postage meters. James was a customer service manager there, and the people he used to work with took the news of his death pretty hard, his friend said.

“He was always volunteering to help people,” said Jackson, 54.

He moved to Tracy after his mother did 13 years ago and worked in construction before a devastating fall from a three-story building in 2000, when he broke 22 bones and spent three months in the hospital.

“They told him he’d be disabled for life,” his mother said.

But he slowly recovered, learned how to walk again, and began to put his life back together. “He did things they said he’d never do again,” she said.

Working full time wasn’t one of them, though. His back was in constant pain, and though he liked to work with his hands and tinkered with woodworking, tile, and other crafts, he could only work in short spurts at a time and had been on disability since his fall, his mother said.

His injuries made him an especially cautious motorcycle rider, said his mother, rather than an irresponsible one.

“David would never be careless on a bike,” Mary James said.

His relatives said he spent much of his time in recent years nursing animals he rescued from the streets, feeding kittens by hand with an eyedropper until they grew strong enough to feed themselves. His home had six cats, a dog and a horse.

“He was just a good person,” Jackson said. “It’s a tough loss.

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written by Nicki , August 19, 2008

This is so sad. My condolences to the family. I have to wonder why CHP didn't see the helmet, and why they didn't retrieve his belongings scattered about.

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written by amy , August 19, 2008

My heart again goes to the family.

It could be a case of motorist picking up the helmet? Hope they will return it if that is the case?

Hard to believe he would be riding without an helmet on that kind of road?

Hope the family will have a peaceful closure. Painful time for them.

Prayers are with them.

-amy

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written by CATPReader , August 19, 2008

Although the incident is sad from the families description of the found helmet it stated it had a hole in it. Sounds to me like maybe just this one time he was going a little too fast for conditions and smacked really hard. CHP stated that the speed limit for that section was 40 .. I'm shocked that the family would say "he could have taken that turn safety at the speed [65mph according to CHP] he was traveling when he crashed." then follow that up by saying "...an especially cautious motorcycle rider, said his mother..." The two statements don't go together and contradicts each other. Anyway.. it stated it was late at night.. tunnel vision? over tired? all it takes is one quick mistake and things like this can happen. Anyone riding a motorcycle in the Bay Area is a brave sole and takes their life into their own hands each and every time they get onto one... not to mention putting the trust in other drivers not to take their life.

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written by Concerned Parents , August 19, 2008

Losing a family member is bad enough and my condolences to the family but having to fight over the facts of the story is sad.

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written by monster dad 3K , August 20, 2008

Camino Tassajara is very dark at night and there are several corners that appear wider than they actually are. He could have simply blown a corner and lost control at the speed he was traveling. He may have swerved to avoid something in the road too. Hate to keep reading about these motorcycle rider deaths.
As I have said ad-nauseum since a crash in the early 90's, learning to stop is the most important skill a motorcycle rider needs to know. Wear a helmet that will adequately protect your head and ride safely. My sincere condolences to his family and friends.

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written by monster dad 3K , August 20, 2008

Anyone riding a motorcycle in the Bay Area is a brave sole and takes their life into their own hands each and every time they get onto one

I disagree. If you ride safely and pay attention to your surroundings you actually have many advantages over vehicle drivers. Unfortunately motocyclists get a bad rap because of speed freaks who weave in and out of traffic and ride in between cars at high speed or pull wheelies on the street and other irresponsible behaviors like that.
A rider on a Goldwing passed in between me and another car driving over the Altamont a few months ago so fast it scared the living daylights out of me. I was traveling at least 70 mph and this guy blew right by us. Came up on us so fast I didn't even see him coming. I'm a motorcyclist myself and I was peeved at this guy for riding so irresponsibly. So until we can change people's behavior the negative impression will continue. The Henchmen motorcycle club does many good things here in Tracy and in the Tri-Valley.
Another positive spin on motorcycling: http://www.pashnit.com

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written by Steve Reshakis , August 20, 2008

Very Sad to hear...
I own and Love riding Motorcycles for all of My Life.(40 Years Riding).
He could have also been run off the Road.
People should check the Bike for paint and damage from another vehicle.
My Brother was run off a country Road for no reason.
I was almost trapped between two trucks and Had to back off, then I saw the men in the Truck looking back and laughing.
They think it's a joke, but thats a deadly Joke at best.

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written by fortheunderdog , August 20, 2008

I too am a rider. It's unfortunate but motorcycle riders do not have the luxury of having 4 side surrounding them. All they've got are those 2 small patches of rubber on the roadway. Like some have said above, he could have been run off the road. Checking the bike for paint transfer from another vehicle is good but most of the time you will not find anything because the rider, seeing the obstacle, will swerve before colliding with the vehicle. The hole in the helmet doesn't mean he was traveling at a fast speed, it could have just come in contact with a sharp object.

For those who are "splitting" traffic, may I suggest that you do it only when traffic is stopped. There are a lot of motorists out there that think it's funny to turn their car over the divided lines making it impossible for a cyclist to pass. And NEVER split traffic when traffic is moving at 30 mph or faster. That's just plain dumb.

Thoughts and prayers to the family.

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written by nickd , August 26, 2008

While it's sad someone died, it sounds like he was not as safe as the family insists.

1. 'one or two' cigars. I smoke cigars, and they can easily put an average sized male on their ass. In the least they can give you a gnarly headache and mess with your ability to concentrate.

2. The olympics end at midnight. Why wait so much later to leave and get even more fatigued?

3. Sounds like he might have been enjoying a beer or two as well. Was he really okay to drive?

Just food for thought...