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Franks Biker News May 21st archive

Motorcycle collision: Peter Mannino, 42 - Tucson police Officer Peter Mannino, 42, was off-duty riding his motorcycle on May 17 when a vehicle turned in front of him, according to a Pima County sheriff's spokeswoman. Mannino crashed into the vehicle and was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Deputy Dawn Barkman said.
Mannino had been on his way home after getting off work at 7 p.m., Barkman said. He was riding his 2008 Harley Davidson southbound on Palo Verde Road, near Benson Highway, when a northbound vehicle turned in front of him.
No citations were issued and the investigation continues, Barkman said. She said Mannino had been wearing a helmet.
Mannino, a patrol officer for the Midtown Division, joined the force nine years ago and was on the list for a promotion to detective.
His wife, Deanna, works for the police department as a civilian employee. He also has two sons, Vincent, 16, and Jonathan, 22 months.

Memorial Day events set - The Brown Funeral Home and Brown Family Center will sponsor "Thunder Rolls in Belleville" Memorial Day on Monday.
This Memorial Day tribute will honor the memory of veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives to protect our nation.
The ceremony is preceded by a police escorted motorcycle ride through Van Buren Township and into Belleville. Participants in the ride can register and line up for the ride starting at 11 a.m. in Wayne County Community College's front parking lot, located off of Haggerty and I-94. The group will make their way to the Belleville Veteran's Memorial in Horizon Park, located off Belleville Lake on High Street, east of Main St., across from Grace Baptist Church, where there will be a memorial service once all are assembled.
There is a $10 fee and all riders are welcome. For more information call 697-5090.

Woman dies of injuries in motorcycle crash - ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The family of an Anchorage woman injured in a Seward Highway motorcycle crash says she has died.
Thirty-three-year-old Danielle Griffin on May 3 was a passenger on a motorcycle driven by her husband, Chad Griffin, near Mile 11.
Griffin tried to pass northbound vehicles and lost control of the motorcycle. Danielle Griffin was ejected and struck the rear of a semi trailer.
She died May 10.

One dead, one seriously injured in Vacherie crash - THIBODAUX – One person was killed and another seriously injured Tuesday morning when a truck turned in front of their motorcycle on La. 20 in Vacherie, State Police said.
Police say a 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by James Louque, 42, of Lutcher, was eastbound when a 2005 Ford F-150 truck driven by Paul Stein, 78, of Vacherie, turned left in front of the oncoming motorcycle. The crash occurred around 11:45 a.m.
Both Louque and his passenger, Mignonne Keller, were thrown from the motorcycle after it struck the Ford’s right front bumper.
Louque died at the scene, Troop C spokesman Gilbert Dardar said. Keller, 49, of Lutcher, is in serious condition at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center.
Both people on the motorcycle were wearing DOT-approved helmets, Dardar said.
Stein did not suffer any injuries as a result of the crash.
Police say he was at fault for the crash because his attempt to turn left into a Conoco Gas Station caused him to enter the motorcycle’s path. No charges have been filed at this time against Stein.
Alcohol is not suspected in this crash, Dardar said. Neither is speed.

Harley-Davidson-Buell to host 'Hogs for Dogs' Polker Run - Join Harley-Davidson/Buell of Fort Myers Saturday, June 6, for a "Hog for Dogs" Poker Run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with all proceeds benefiting the Gulf Coast Humane Society.
Registration will be held from 10-11 a.m. and participants can purchase two hands for $20 with the last bike in at 3 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for the best and worst hand. The event will include a pet costume contest, dog baths and nail trims. The Gulf Coast Humane Society will also have adoptable pets on site.
For more information about the Gulf Coast Humane Society, visit www.gulfcoasthumanesociety.org . For more information about the event, contact Jessica Fischer at jessicaf@harleyflorida.com or (239) 275-4647. Harley-Davidson/Buell of Fort Myers is located at 2160 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers.

Montgomery Gentry Raises Money For The Make-A-Wish Foundation With Charity Bike Ride - Nashville, TN (CNS) - Montgomery Gentry makes a good living as country music performers but recently they led an effort to bring in money for others with a charity bike ride for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They have also created a new CD that they hope will subsidize wounded war veterans.
The motorcycle ride took place on Sunday as Eddie and Troy were joined by Halfway To Hazard, "One In Every Crowd" songwriter Ira Dean. More than 100 fellow cyclists came out for the opening of a Harley Davidson facility in Franklin, Tennessee. The event raised $8,000 for Make-A-Wish and Camp Horsin' Around.
The duo has also teamed up with Cracker Barrel to release For Our Heroes, a 12-track CD that earmarks money for the Wounded Warrior project. The CD will be available at Cracker Barrel stores beginning Memorial Day. The album features five songs that have had limited previous release and one song that has never been on an album before.
Montgomery Gentry will be featured on this weekend's edition of GAC's Top 20 Country Countdown on Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

Motorcycles a true passion for local builder - For motorcycle enthusiast Bruce Shaw, of Forsyth, winning trophies with his custom built flat tail bike is not what his passion is all about.
It’s the message of Christ his bike delivers to people who look at it.
“The trophies are just stuff. It’s not all about the bike — it’s what the visual message means,” Shaw said.
An up-close look at the custom bike reveals Shaw’s beliefs and a passion for Christ. It’s what Shaw describes as a ministry on wheels.
“I don’t even have to be around it. It delivers its own message. People can acknowledge it, visualize it and decide if they like it,” he said.
It took Shaw and his friend, Joe Perrault, also of Forsyth, 14 months to build the bike from concept to finish.
Shaw has entered the bike in many shows since its completion in 2005 and has won 21 awards.
Saturday was No. 22, at the 8th Annual Branson Motorcycle Rally at Area 57.
Shaw took first place for best custom flat tail.
Shaw said the project was a labor of love for he and Perrault. Many evenings were spent coming up with ideas and drawings for the bike.
A lot of those ideas were crumpled up and thrown in the wastebasket only to make way for a new concept.
“I pretty much knew how I wanted it to come out,” said Shaw. “Joe had the knowledge on how to build it and make everything work,” he said.
Perrault, who spent many hours working on Shaw’s creation gets a little smile on his face every time Shaw brings home a trophy.
“I’m glad to be a part of it but it’s more of a ministry for Bruce. He puts it out there for people to look at,” Perrault said.
Shaw enjoys looking at other peoples creations as well. He said he loves the creativity.
“Whether they mean to or not, every one of these bikes has a little bit of that person in it. Sometimes you can identify who the owner is just by looking at it.” he said.
Richard Meiser, of Horseshoe Bend, Ark., agrees. He entered a replica Indian motorcycle in the competition.
The custom bike has won more than 210 awards over the years since Meiser has owned the bike.
Everything on the 2000 Kawasaki frame has been built by Meiser from the custom exhaust, down to the paint job and the leather travel bags.
“Everything about this bike is me personally,” Miser said. “This bike is proud, it’s taken a few years to get it where it is today.”
Hundreds of bikers from across the country attended this year’s rally and ride-in show.
The ninth annual event will take place in Branson again next year.

Veterans ride into town to boost awareness -  MICHIGAN CITY - In May 2006, a friend stopped by Milo Anderson's tool shop and asked if he could put up a poster about a national motorcycle ride.
It was the National Veterans Awareness Ride, a motorcycle trip from Sacramento, Calif., to Washington, D.C. The purpose was to promote veterans affairs across the country and visit with veterans.
Milo, who was interested in the ride, asked if he could tag along. His friend consented, and they began their journey across the country.
Four years later, Anderson is still participating in the annual event.
"Once I found out what the ride was about, it kept pulling me back," he said.
The 54-year-old tool shop owner from Roseburg, Ore., arrived at 4 p.m. Tuesday in Michigan City with 60 to 70 other motorcyclists, all promoting veteran awareness. Tuesday marked the fifth year the tour has come through Indiana.
Anderson came into Indiana riding his 1970 Harley Davidson Shovelhead, a bike with more than 600,000 miles on it.
But that's not the only thing that makes the bike unique. It is covered front to back in all sorts of doodads and collectibles Anderson has received during rides through the country.
Take the handcuffs, draped across the front of the motorcycle. They are from the Missoula, Mont., police department. Anderson said he asked for the cuffs from a police officer, but when the officer said no, another obliged.
It gets stranger.
On the front of the motorcycle, there are two crocodile or alligator heads - one smaller than the other - the skeletal head of a boar and a turtle shell.
Anderson knows from where and when he received each and every item.
"It's just fun stuff from everywhere," he said.
Steve "Headdog" Moore, national coordinator of the event and a Michigan City resident, said the ride had gone pretty well so far.
"We got a very warm welcoming coming to Indiana," Moore said.
The group planned to dine at St. Joseph Young Men's Society, then stay overnight in the city before having breakfast at Disabled American Veterans Danny Bruce Chapter 23 this morning. After a patriotic ceremony at 7 a.m., they will leave south on Ohio Street, then east on Coolspring Avenue and south on Franklin Street.
The group will arrive in Washington, D.C., on Friday to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Then, they will head to the Vietnam Memorial on Sunday to participate in the annual Memorial Day weekend Rolling Thunder when thousands of veterans on motorcycles parade through the nation's capital.
Jan Smith, owner of Feallock House Bed & Breakfast, 402 E. Eighth St., planned to house nine of the riders Tuesday night. The reason, she said, is because she appreciates veterans' sacrifices for the country, especially her uncles and brothers, who fought in World War II and Vietnam, respectively.
"I remember lighting candles for my uncle constantly," Smith said, remembering when she was little.
"I remember the wars."
Moore said he hopes the ride to D.C. continues to be a success.
"They're all favorites," he said of all the cities they pass through. "They're all so good - everyone gives us such a warm welcome."

Motorcyclist Slams Into Parked Patrol Car - CINCINNATI, Ohio - A motorcyclist is facing charges after authorities say he drove drunk and hit a parked highway patrol car.
The accident happened just after 2:30 Wednesday morning along northbound Interstate 75 in Sharonville.
According to officials, 30-year-old Nathaniel Griffith Jr., of Cincinnati, was driving a 2006 Honda Interceptor motorcycle on the northbound ramp to I-75 from Sharon Road when he veered into a construction zone.
Officials say the construction zone was clearly marked by multiple safety cones and yield signs.
According to authorities, Griffith then ran into the parked patrol car of Trooper Christina Hayes. Hayes, 27, was reportedly working an off-duty detail and was assigned to assist and protect construction workers. She was not injured in the crash.
Rescue crews transported Griffith to Bethesda North Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Police then charged him with OVI and failure to maintain an assured clear distance ahead.
The crash remains under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Lights out for Outlaws Motorcycle Club - The Outlaws, a notorious gang with chapters all over the world, have 10 days to fix the violations discovered by Deputy Police Chief Steve Beres and a city building inspector. If not, they could get cited and eventually be brought up before the city's code inspection board.
Beres said the motorcycle club will have to hire an electrician and obtain a permit for all the work that's done. "We're willing to work with them if they need our help," Beres said.
When the lights were turned off at the clubhouse -- at South and Seaman streets -- there was only one Outlaw inside the residence, Beres said, a man who goes by "Panhead."
"That's the only name he gave us," Beres said.
The clubhouse for the Daytona Beach chapter of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club.