25°Two motorcycles crash: One driver in hospital, other turns self in
Aug 17
2010
FULL STORY A motorcycle rider was critically injured and another went missing overnight after both bikes crashed late Monday on Mason Road near U.S. 250.
Joseph Jarvis Jr., 35, of Bellevue was in critical condition Tuesday evening at Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, where he was taken shortly after the crash.
Jarvis and another man were driving their motorcycles together on Mason Road at about 10 p.m., when both bikes went off the road just west of U.S. 250.
Jarvis was driving a 1997 Yamaha that careened off the south side of the road and into a cornfield.
A motorist happened upon the scene and noticed gravel in the road, then called 911, an Erie County Sheriff’s office report said.
With only a pen light on a key chain, the 911 caller quickly found the motorcycle but couldn’t locate a person.
Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers arrived and found Jarvis lying in the cornfield. He was taken by medical helicopter to the Toledo hospital.
But troopers also found a second motorcycle in the field — a 1992 Kawasaki registered to Michael Roberts.
Roberts, however, was nowhere to be found.
Milan Township firefighters used thermal imaging equipment to search for him, while spotlights lit up the cornfield.
Firefighters were assisted in their search as five troopers and deputies and five private citizens joined in, scouring the cornfield for more than three hours to no avail.
Then, at 7:45 a.m. Tuesday, Roberts walked into the Erie County Sheriff’s office on Columbus Avenue.
He told a dispatcher he was the man state troopers were searching for.
Roberts suffered what appeared to be severe skin injuries, likely road rash, said witnesses at the Sheriff’s office.
A sheriff’s dispatcher noticed the injuries and called for immediate medical attention, and she also placed a call with state troopers.
Perkins emergency crews took Roberts to Firelands Regional Medical Center, where he was treated and released by Tuesday evening.
Dispatchers said troopers hadn’t interviewed Roberts as of 6 p.m. Tuesday, though they’re treating both motorcycle wrecks as separate crashes.
Rick Sebetto said he’s known Jarvis for 15 years and considers him his best friend. The two work together at Cement Masons & Plasterers Local 886.
Sebetto said he and his family visited Jarvis in the hospital, where everyone is hoping for a miracle.
“He has swelling on the brain and bleeding on the brain,” Sebetto said.
Doctors can only wait to see if the bleeding stops and the swelling subsides, Sebetto said.
The crashes are still under investigation. It’s unknown if alcohol was a contributing factor, though troopers haven’t issued any citations.
Sebetto said Jarvis and Roberts were riding together Monday night, but there are conflicting accounts about what happened.
Jarvis’ family members posted messages on Facebook asking for prayers.
“He is the nicest guy. He’d do anything for you,” said Lisa Wobser, a family friend. “He’d go anywhere and ... make friends.”
Sebetto said Jarvis is an avid outdoorsman who’s extremely intelligent.
“No matter what he does, he can master it,” Sebetto said.
Jarvis recently decided he wanted to become a farmer, so he and his wife just bought a farm house, complete with hogs and five cows.
View the Ohio State Highway Patrol report on the incident by clicking on the document below:
Print
Facebook
Twitter
Email
.jpg)
Sold to the highest bidder!
Comments
Share your thoughts and opinions with your community. All comments on our site are governed by our Discussion Guidelines. You must have a valid account to post comments.
12:35 PM
danna says
They should both feel lucky for being alive, usually motorcycle accidents are fatal. Also I hope they both have a motorcycle insurance to fix their bikes. What will happen with the guy that turned himself in? Will he get a lighter sentence because of that?
01:14 AM
HaRley44 says
to Truly Blessed : as someone who knows Joe personally I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping him and for being in that spot at that time. I know that it was gods will but still.. Thank god you were there or else he might never have been found! The thought hurts but it is true. You are truly wonderful kindhearted selfless people and I want to thank you for helping a wonderful man and ask you to keep praying for joe and i hope that god watches over you and yours. Thank you Thank you thank you!
02:12 PM
katelih says
Truly Blessed, You and your brother are very fortunate to have one another ! I am sure Mr.Jarvis's family appreciates the selfless acts of you and the others who helped . You and your brother probably saved Mr. Jarvis's life. I too pray for a full recovery. I would like to comment on the cars that just drove by and didnt stop to offer help. If I were alone, I would have been very reluctant to stop my car down a darkened stretch of road , but I would have ,against my better judgment. However, if it was me and my child in the car, I would not have stopped ! I am not a cold hearted person , I just wouldnt want to subject my child to any danger or traumatic experiences. Maybe some of the cars passing by had drivers who were skeptical and a bit cowardly like myself. I am glad you and your brother felt the urge to go back. I am glad and sorry you saw the after math of a horrific accident. It's bittersweet.
11:35 PM
TrulyBlessed says
I have been praying for this gentleman (Mr. Jarvis) and his family ever since last Monday night.
I believe God puts us exactly where he needs us and on Monday night my brother and I must have been right where God needed us, because we both saw nothing more then a glimpse of an "odd" large black shape in the ditch and some loose gravel on the pavement, but as we passed that spot we both looked at each other and got that creepy hunch that we needed to turn around to investigate further. We never dreamed that we'd stumble upon another bike even further down the road (200 - 300ft) east of the black bike toward RT-250 and that far out into the corn field, with no obvious corn stalk damage seen from the road with flashlights(?)
I really want to thank another good samaritan who was the only other car out of about 8 passing cars on that darkened stretch of road during the initial time that we discovered the 1st black bike before emergency service help had arrived. He was the only one who stopped to ask if everything was alright, all the others just kept on driving by our car and boat which was off the side of the road with the hazards flashing. This gentleman walked that corn field and the corresponding ditches with us for ~2 hours on a lower leg that was completely bandaged and later I discovered after talking to him that he was still recovering from a Brown Recluse spider bite wound! He was definitely a person I was glad to have on our team that night walking beside us with a flashlight!
I too have been in positions myself where I've been in close calls with one too many out of control speeding race bikes, but I'm in no position to judge anyone elses decision, especially in this particular situation, I'm only glad that we were in the right place at the right time to find Mr. Jarvis. I'm praying that he and his family get a miracle healing!
The most unfortunate and disheartening part about Monday night was when we all called off the ~2 hr search not feeling totally satisfied that after we had scoured that field and the nearby woods thoroughly, we never found the 2nd rider....it was very unbelievable by the looks of the missing riders black bike that anyone could have walked very far from that crash. The missing bike rider is very lucky to be able to walk away from that crash. He too is in my prayers because he has his own scars to heal and his own demons to deal with from the night.
God Bless both of these men and their families and please everyone, keep your eyes open, you never know when you will be in a position to truly be needed!
Thanks also to all of the emergency responders who promptly responded to our 911 call. After Monday night I have a new appreciation for what they do everyday on the job!
06:47 PM
katelih says
How did you know the guys were pulling a boat? I am assuming you personally know one or both guys. If you do , give him or them a big hug and tell them they did a really good deed and GOD knows their heart and soul. It doesnt matter how much praise they get from people , GOD sees ALL.
10:57 AM
justaperson says
Has anyone thought about the two guys with the boat? These guys were coming back from a fishing trip, late at night and pulled over just because they thought they saw somethin unusual! These are the kind of people I want on my team. If they had not stopped, theguy in the field would have been found dead most likely/ and probably not for a day or two. Cuddos to the great citizens who cared enough to stop and then help look and not just walk away. I think the comments are focused on the wrong persons. I think maybe homeland security needs these two guys in Washington!!!!!!
08:31 AM
kimber says
we are still thinking of you joe and many prayers have been sent ur way!! ur a very strong person and i know u can pull thru this!! we along with ur family and friends need you home with us! and to ritt, you are so right and hoping we get the answers we are looking for!! you dont leave ur friends for anything, regardless of the situation, im glad he's not one of my friends!
09:59 PM
ritt says
Sorry........but Roberts should have to foot the bill for the search efforts for his body!! I simply can't wait to hear WHY he left his buddy like that!! That is totally inexcuseable!! Sure they were both in the accident. But would the other guy have left him? And yest the article leaves lots of unanswered questions....but leaving him like that!!!! I hope and pray that the Jarvis boy is lucky enough to have a quick and full recovery!
07:40 PM
big_d says
Heck of a lot of serious bike accidents around here this year, unfortunately, his life will never be the same. Not a lot of room for error on a bike.06:53 PM
Erie Countian says
Are you going to remove the REST of the supposedly libelous statements, too?! Anyway, I wish Mr.Jarvis a healthy recovery.
06:08 PM
7711ha says
They passed me on Rt. 99 going about 80 mph about 9:30 and then turned down Mason Rd. Scared the heck out of me, and I'm thinking how stupid, was shocked when I read next day that they crashed!!
03:36 PM
here in ohio says
Moderators have removed this comment because it contained libelous or defamatory statements. Discussion Guidelines01:42 PM
KC1979 says
Moderators have removed this comment because it contained libelous or defamatory statements. Discussion Guidelines05:59 PM
songwriter says
I have known Joe since he was 17 years old. He has a heart of gold, and treated me with respect and kindness despite my handicap. I had lost contact with him for a couple years and how tragic to read of his accident. I am praying for the enitre family.
12:18 PM
starryeyes83 says
kimber, if I was gonna accuse someone I would have stated so. Maybe I should have asked it, in question form ,instead.
However, I don't know anyone with those kinds of bikes who rides slow. Do you? They 're nothing but a bloody deathtrap.
10:45 AM
Erie Countian says
Moderators have removed this comment because it contained libelous or defamatory statements. Discussion Guidelines10:01 AM
mrhuda says
Moderators have removed this comment because it contained libelous or defamatory statements. Discussion Guidelines06:00 AM
ragtop66 says
With someone like Roberts for a "friend", Jarvis certainly doesn't need any enemies. To go off a just leave somebody who is injured...it's unconcionable.
10:01 PM
kimber says
lets not accuse someone unless u know for sure starryes83 !! we are heartbroken to know our friend is fighting for his life, so lets not post negative comments ! to Joe, you are in our thoughts and prayers, you are a strong person and full of life, and it will help you through this, and know that all ur friends are here for you!! we love you
08:57 PM
2kids says
I sure hope these kids are not "friends", but if they are Mr. Jarvis needs to find some true friends.
08:18 PM
observer says
So apparently the one kid just LEFT the other kid, hurt really bad, laying out in the cornfield, and didn't even go for help?? Sure sounds like he needs to be charged with something! That kid could have DIED out there in the field before someone found him.
.
07:25 PM
starryeyes83 says
Who knows, I bet that's the same blue Yamaha that goes super fast through on 269 by the Bellevue Middle school too. If that's him he'll go like 80 in a 35 mph zone. These morons never learn.
06:38 PM
old dog says
Gee, I wonder how close to Mach1 they were traveling. They are very lucky to be alive today. Any other comment that I might make on this accident does not matter. These young folks today have no idea about life, except to have fun and push things to their limits. Some get away with it, others pay the price with their lives.