Man Fighting For His Life After Motorcycle Accident

Sunday, June 10th 2007, 4:22 pm

By: News On 6

Family members think road rage may be to blame for a dangerous motorcycle wreck. We talked to the family of a Tulsa County road worker who is still in the surgical ICU Sunday night. Richard Mooney is fighting for his life after his motorcycle crashed off Skyline Drive in west Tulsa. The News On 6â€™s Joshua Brakhage reports he was in the ditch, bleeding and broken, for 45 minutes, before reservists from the nearby Army Reserve Center came jogging by and started CPR.

"They said he crashed in the ambulance, and they had to do a traech and bring him back because he couldn't breathe or anything of that nature," said Mooneyâ€™s brother-in-law Walter Copenhaver.

Family, friends and co-workers gathered outside his hospital room. They've been keeping a constant vigil, hoping to see life return to Mooney's body.

"And right now in the ICU ward, he can't do any of the commands the doctors asked him to do,â€ said Copenhaver. â€œThey asked him to move his hands or lift two fingers, and there's no response."

Doctors have him stabilized, but he's still in critical condition. He has a shattered spine, a cracked skull, and a blood clot on his brain. Copenhaver says Mooney wouldn't just have an accident like that, on roads he knew so well.

"He's raised on a bike since he was young in west Tulsa," said Copenhaver.

Family members had to see the scene for themselves. Their pictures show the skid marks and point out the point of impact. Now, they're holding each other up and holding Mooney up in prayer.

"Prayer's the only thing that's gonna help him now," Copenhaver said.

Mooney went off the road at a particularly dangerous curve. His co-workers say if you're doing anything over 30 mph, you're in trouble, but Mooneyâ€™s relatives say they were told by OHP that he was going between 20 and 25 mph. Thatâ€™s why they believe his accident could have been a result of road rage.

Watch the video: West Tulsa Motorcycle Accident Leaves One Man In Critical Condition