A mysterious call from a motorcyclist who crashed last Thursday off Highway 26 resulted in a two-county search. TSPN’s contributing photographer Bill Lavallie was at the scene of the accident to bring you these dynamic images. 911 Operators received a call early Thursday morning from a man who claimed to be lying in the bottom of a ditch somewhere off the highway. The initial call went out to Amador fire and emergency personnel, who subsequently called for an air ambulance service. A California Highway Patrol helicopter joined in the search shortly thereafter. As the search continued with no evidence of a crash, Fire units from West Point Calaveras CHP joined in.

With precious minutes passing and no evidence of an accident, the situation could have turned tragic. Fortunately, the rider was able to inform 911 operators when he heard the helicopter passing above him. Officials located the scene of the accident off the road on Hwy 26 many miles south of West Point. The rider had skidded off the road at a high rate of speed and ricocheted off a tree before the motorcycle plowed into two adjoining trees, becoming tightly wedged between them. The momentum of the impact launched the driver about 30 feet down an embankment. With a broken leg and possible broken arm, all the rider could do was wait for help. Rescuers on the scene considered it fortunate that the rider’s cell phone held out long enough to maintain contact with the search party. A CHP officer at the scene stated that earlier that morning he had observed the motorcycle speeding on Hwy 26 traveling in the direction of Westpoint. The rider was transported by helicopter to a Stockton area hospital.