Funeral for Hell's Angel President draws
crowd of 500 bikers -
Examiner.com - A
two-mile-long procession with as many as 600
Hell’s Angels mourned the loss of the
Winston-Salem chapter’s President Dwight
Sluder today in Winston-Salem.
Sluder, 48, was found dead in his home in
Germanton with a bullet shot wound in the
back of his head Thursday. His funeral was
held today with people lining the street
from the funeral home to the cemetery. To
read the full story
Apparently few wanted to talk to news
cameras waiting outside the funeral home.
News crews upset some, and those who did
talk said little. The two-mile long
precession line, which took 10 minutes to
leave the parking lot, caused people to pull
over and some to carry fold-out chairs. The
scene looked more like a town parade than a
funeral precession.
The only people who would talk to the press
merely expressed their feelings that bikers
are ‘good people’ despite social
misconceptions, and that today was an
example of their good nature. Also a few
talked about how good it was to see others
pull together in a time of tragedy.
The Winston-Salem police stepped up
enforcement for the Hell’s Angels’ arrival,
claiming there were no extra finances spent
for the additional forces. They stated that
it was good timing that the funeral was over
a weekend where they needed to rearrange
schedules anyway to avoid overtime.
The police are looking into the 911 calls
which they have recently obtained, according
to DigTriad; they believe it shows clues.
But like everything else in the case at the
moment, police are saying little. They have
not released information about what they
obtained from Sluder’s residence, the 911
call, who made it or if they have any
credible leads.
Police bracing for huge rally of Hells Angels
near Cloquet -
Minneapolis Star Tribune -
The prospect of 500 to 1,000 visitors roaring
into tiny Carlton County this week has prompted
a mix of anxiety and enthusiasm.
Cops have been bracing for months. Business
people are crossing their fingers. After all,
when the notorious Hells Angels bikers swarm in
for their annual USA Ride on their way to
Sturgis, S.D., they'll be packing both cash and
a gnarly reputation in their saddle bags.
"It's good news, I'm excited that they're coming
and look forward to seeing them," said Tim
Rogentine, owner of the Lost Isle Bar on Hwy.
210 in Carlton.
His establishment will be closed for a private
function from Wednesday to Sunday. Asked to
confirm that the Angels rented out his bar,
Rogentine said: "Um, I can't say. I've signed a
contract that says I can't give any interviews."
Apparently, there are legal documents in those
saddle bags, as well. The Black Bear Casino near
Cloquet also declined to confirm the Angels had
booked 250 rooms at its hotel. Police expect the
bikers to spread out at campgrounds and hotels
from Cloquet to Duluth, up the North Shore and
ride to their Minneapolis clubhouse during their
Minnesota stay. (A knock on that clubhouse door
was greeted with a polite decline for an
interview Friday from a well-tattooed guy.)
For nearly six months now, hundreds of law
enforcement agents from Carlton, Pine and St.
Louis counties -- plus 30 State Patrol troopers
and some federal agents -- have been planning to
be on hand to greet the Hells Angels.
"You don't poke a hornets' nest with a stick,
but you sure do like to know where the hornets'
nest is at," Pine County Chief Deputy Steve
Ovick said.
Carlton County Sheriff Kelly Lake, who has only
19 field officers in her department, welcomes
all the cooperating agencies as she coordinates
a show of force. Public meetings have been held
in the area to calm the citizenry.
3 men arrested in SoCal shooting that left 3
dead - San
Jose Mercury News - PICO RIVERA,
Calif.—Three men have been arrested in
connection with a shooting last month at a
Southern California pizza parlor that left three
men dead and seven people injured.
Los Angeles County sheriff's captain Michael
Rothans says 30-year-old Randy Ruiz was arrested
Friday after a brief chase on Interstate 605,
and 18-year-old Christopher Johnson was arrested
at his home in Montebello shortly after.
A third suspect, 43-year-old John Perez, already
was in custody on other charges.
Rothans says the three men have been booked on
suspicion of murder and were likely to be
formally charged Monday.
A motorcycle group called the Old School Riders
was holding a fundraiser at Falcone's Pizza in
Pico Rivera on June 27 when three men were
killed by gunfire.
Motorcyclist dies after hitting vehicle
- Daily Press -
Virginia Beach - A 24-year-old man died Saturday
after losing control of his motorcycle on Shore
Drive.
According to police, Mathew Mason was traveling
at a high rate of speed westbound in the 5700
block of Shore Drive near Diamond Springs Road
about 9:48 a.m. Mason went over a grassy median
and struck a Ford Taurus traveling in the
eastbound lane.
He was taken to a hospital, where he was
pronounced dead.
The driver of the Taurus was not injured. It's
unknown if alcohol was a factor in the crash,
according to police.
Police say Mason, of Virginia Beach, was wearing
a helmet at the time of the crash.
Blue Knights raise money for families of
fallen police officers -
Lower Hudson Journal news -
STONY POINT - The death of Jersey City, N.J.,
police Detective Marc DiNardo, a father of three
killed this month in the line of duty, was a
grim but unneeded reminder to some police
officers about why they were riding their
motorcycles yesterday.
More than 125 riders, many of them police
officers from across the area, were raising
money for Concerns of Police Survivors Inc., a
national organization dedicated to helping
families of law enforcement officers who are
killed on the job.
The Blue Knights' New York Chapter 18 held its
COPS Run Memorial Ride for the fourth year.
"We don't forget anybody. That's the name of our
game," said John Volpe, a retired U.S. Customs
officer who worked at the World Trade Center.
"We don't leave anybody behind, especially the
families after one of their family members
fall."
Volpe, of New City, is one of the 52 members of
the Rockland-based chapter, which includes
Westchester and Orange. They are officers in
Clarkstown, the Rockland Sheriff's Department,
the New York Police Department and several
others.
They are part of the Blue Knights International
Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club Inc., a club for
active and retired law enforcement officials who
have a love for motorcycles and fundraising. The
organization has more than 600 chapters in 26
countries, and more than 20,000 members.
Volpe rode his blue Harley Davidson Ultra
Classic on the 60-mile run through Rockland,
Orange and Passiac County in New Jersey. The
ride began and ended at Don's Neighborhood Grill
in Stony Point.
"Blue Knights always want to give back to the
community that they work for, and our chapter is
typical of the Blue Knights," Chapter 18
president Guy Cook said.
As of yesterday afternoon, Cook didn't have an
exact total of how much had been collected.
"In the past, we have raised up to $14,000 for
the cause," said Cook, who is a retired
Palisades Interstate Parkway Police officer.
Aside from their COPS Run, the club also helps
other charities like the Pediatric Brain Tumor
Foundation and March of Dimes.
Joseph Rivera, director of the Blue Knights,
said many people believe that families of police
officers have all of their financial needs met.
But that's not always the case, so organizations
have formed to aid the survivors with medical
support, therapy, supplies and other expenses.
Smaller police departments, with only a few
dozen officers, cannot afford to offer death
benefits like the New York City Police
Department, said Rivera, a Valley Cottage
resident who works for U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement at Newark Liberty
International Airport.
"They don't have the same benefits as those big
large police departments," Rivera said, "but
they still stand a chance of getting killed in
the line of duty."
Donut Ride draws crowd -
Northwest Herald -
WOODSTOCK – The undefeated Hector Garza did it
again this year.
With a vague strategy of “eating them, chewing
them, and swallowing them quick,” he beat nine
other contestants in the Donut Eating Contest at
the annual Donut Ride fundraiser Saturday.
The event is an effort to raise funds for the
McHenry County Shop with A Cop program, said
Capt. Tony Cundiff, with the McHenry County
Sheriff’s Department.
Garza, also with the McHenry County Sheriff’s
Department, has won the eating contest every
year. After devouring nine-and-a-half plain
Dunkin’ Donuts in three minutes, he wiped glaze
off his shirt while trying to decide whether he
needed to throw up.
“I’m all sticky,” he said.
However, the contest was just a side show act at
the fundraiser. The main event was a motorcycle
ride through rural roads in McHenry County.
Jack Hardt of Woodstock went on the ride, which
tangled through about 60 miles of Woodstock,
Marengo, Union and other communities.
“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “[The weather]
was beautiful, perfect.”
Saturday’s festivities were anchored at
Woodstock Harley-Davidson, 2050 S. Eastwood
Drive. Aside from the ride and the doughnuts,
the crowd also could watch a K-9 demonstration,
where spectators where shown how police dogs
were trained.
Also, Rob Webster provided live music and
participants could view emergency vehicles, such
as police snowmobiles and the Flight for Life
helicopter, up close.
Cundiff said the event was the main fundraiser
for Shop with A Cop, a countywide program that
pairs cops with underprivileged children for a
Christmas-season shopping trip.
“People view police officers in a certain way,
like responding to an accident on the street or
writing them a citation,” he said. “Our job is a
lot more than that. It’s about trying to make a
difference out there.”
Saturday motorcycle cruise a big help to Boys
and Girls Club - Dozens of
motorcyclists partook in a Saturday morning
cruise to raise funds for a nonprofit agency for
more than 400 Lenoir County children — funding
that is badly needed, according to one official.
In all, there were 57 riders mounted on polished
cruisers and crotch rockets who took off from
Grainger Stadium at 10 a.m. sharp for The Boys
and Girls Club of Lenoir County’s third annual
Poker Run. They had five destinations from
Kinston to Goldsboro at which they received a
poker card — at the end of the trip, the best
hand won $150 and the worst got $50.
The Boys and Girls Club, though, was the biggest
winner, according to Resource Development
Manager Jim Godfrey, who organized the ride.
“Like any other nonprofit organization, we are
struggling badly to keep the doors open,” said
Godfrey, whose role at the Boys and Girls Club
is to help raise funds. Currently there are
about 450 children who are members of the Lenoir
County club on Tower Hill Road.
“It’s just something where you’re going to have
to weather the storm,” he added.
Godfrey recognized the community sponsors and
volunteers who helped the event — which added
more than $1,500 to the club’s general fund last
year — garnish almost 40 percent more
participation than in 2008.
King’s Restaurant supplied food for the
post-ride lunch at Bill Fay Park, while Pepsi
donated beverages. Advantage Printing made
advertisements for the event, the Kinston
Indians supplied tickets to Saturday night’s
baseball game for all riders and the Young
Professionals filled the five stops with
volunteers.
“When you consider what (the sponsors) did in
this economic time — it’s just wonderful to have
their support,” Godfrey said. “They all gave in
different ways, but all of it was very
important.”
Residents and out-of towners showed up for the
ride, including Kinston-Lenoir County Parks and
Recreation Department park ranger Darrell
Kierzek, donning stitches on his head left by a
medical procedure to remove cancer from his
brain 11 days ago.
“I do several (poker runs) a year,” Kierzek
said. “I’m doing this to give support — it’s for
the community I work for.”
Teddy and Holly Parrish of Mount Olive were
anxious to leave minutes after Godfrey’s
pre-ride instructions.
“This is the first one we’ve ever been on,”
Teddy Parrish said. “We’ve got kids and
grandkids, so we’re into that kind of stuff.
“We’re into anything that helps kids.”
Motorcycle crash victim still critical
- Asheville
Citizen-Times - A Leicester woman
remained in critical condition Saturday after a
motorcycle accident on Town Mountain Road that
claimed the life of her husband.
Felicia Buckner was riding on the back of a
motorcycle driven by her husband, Nathan Jake
Buckner, 26, when he lost control of the bike in
a curve and it slid under an oncoming pickup
truck about 5 p.m. Friday, according to the N.C.
Highway Patrol. Felicia Buckner's age was not
immediately available.
Trooper Brandon Miller of the Highway Patrol
said the motorcycle was speeding up the mountain
when it crossed the center line and ended up on
its side. It collided with the truck, which was
coming down the mountain.
The driver of the truck was not seriously
injured.
The highway patrol has concluded its
investigation of he wreck, which happened just
past Mountain Vista Drive, Miller said.
Motorcyclist crashes head-on with minivan,
dies - KATU -
MARION COUNTY, Ore. - A motorcycle and a minivan
collided in north Marion County Saturday
morning, killing the motorcycle operator and
critically injuring his passenger, authorities
said.
The Marion County Sheriff's Office identified
the deceased as 23-year-old Sonny John Munkel of
Gervais. His passenger, 23-year-old Ashley
Demotte-Nichols, was taken by LifeFlight
helicopter to Oregon Health and Science
University for treatment of critical injuries,
the sheriff's office said.
Investigators believe the motorcyclist was
passing vehicles while heading north on South
Boones Ferry Road when he collided head-on with
an oncoming minivan for an unknown reason about
11:30 a.m., the sheriff's office said. Speed may
have been a factor in the crash, the sheriff's
office said.
The driver of the minivan, 23-year-old Miguel
Angel Ramirez of Salem, suffered minor injuries
and was treated at the scene, the sheriff's
office said.
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