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Chief, Officer, Spectators Hurt In Motorcycle Mishap

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By GEORGE WILKENS

gwilkens@tampatrib.com

Published: November 18, 2008

PLANT CITY - Police Chief Bill McDaniel, one of his motorcycle officers and two spectators were injured today during a demonstration for the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce.

The injured spectators, both women, were taken by ambulance to South Florida Baptist Hospital for treatment, but they were not seriously injured, said chamber President Marion Smith.

"Everybody's fine; nothing is broken," Smith said after visiting the women at the hospital after the 1:15 p.m. accident that occurred after the driver lost control of the motorcycle and it slid into bleachers at 1 Police Place.

The chief was standing next to the bleachers and was injured "only slightly," said Police Capt. Darrell Wilson. "He's a little sore, but fine. I don't think he took a direct hit" from the 800-pound 2005 Harley-Davidson, one of five in the department's Traffic Management Unit.

The driver, Chad Rader, suffered "minor road rash" and was released after treatment at the hospital, Wilson said.

He said Rader has been with the department since 2000 and a member of the motorcycle unit since 2004.

What caused the accident is undetermined and police had yet to interview Rader late this afternoon, Wilson said.

The department will request the Florida Highway Patrol or the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office conduct the investigation, he added.

Rader's motorcycle was the only one in use at the time, and it was headed toward the bleachers at the time of the accident, preceding a demonstration of radar and laser devices used to clock speed, Wilson said.

He would not speculate whether brake failure prompted Rader to lay the cycle down.

"I think he did everything he could, that he was taught, to prevent more serious accident or more serious injury," Wilson said.

The demonstration was for Leadership Plant City, an annual chamber of commerce program for owners and employees of local businesses.

The chamber president said the program launched in 1983 to enhance members' familiarity with Plant City includes a tour of the police department and demonstrations of its motorcycle and K-9 units.

Smith, who visited the two injured members at the local hospital, said both were treated for "deep cuts on their legs" and may remain there overnight for observation.

Due to health privacy laws, the names of the women were unavailable.

"It was just an accident. The officer, naturally, feels bad," Smith added.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4433.

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