A motorcyclist was hurt Tuesday in a crash with a pickup truck near Knowles Road and Bartlet Road on Route 135 in Belgrade, according to a news release from Kennebec County Sheriff Ryan Reardon.

Lee Richardson, 71, of Belgrade, suffered serious leg injuries when his motorcycle collided with a truck driven by Justin Sawyer, 28, of Belgrade. Richardson, described by Reardon as an experienced motorcyclist, was wearing a helmet.

The accident occurred about 6 p.m. when Sawyer began to pull into traffic, saw Richardson coming on his motorcycle, and stopped. Richardson was not able to avoid Sawyer’s truck and clipped the front bumper, according to the news release. A sheriff’s deputy and Belgrade Fire Department and Delta Ambulance crews worked to treat Richardson at the scene and take him to the hospital.

Reardon said the crash was caused, at least in part, by Sawyer’s inattention. The investigation is ongoing and charges are possible, Reardon said.

“This time of year it is very important to take the extra time to check for motorcycles,” Reardon said in the news release. “They are sometimes hard to spot and persons driving larger vehicles need to be aware of them.”


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