Police look for ‘Chucky’ after fatal Hagg Lake cycle crash

By Nicholas Bellos

The Forest Grove News-Times, Aug 19, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Photo courtesy of Gaston Fire / News-Times

Fire personnel from Gaston assisted Washington County Sheriff’s deputies at the scene of a fatal motorcycle accident Sunday. Police are still looking for a man they believe has information about the crash.

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A 36-year-old man from Tigard died Sunday afternoon in a mysterious motorcycle crash that left another man injured and questions still to be answered.

Police said Monday that Kenneth Dawkins died when his motorcycle collided with a guard rail on Southwest Scoggins Valley Road near Hagg Lake and ejected him from his bike. The other man, 21-year-old Viacheslav Kostyushko, of Milwaukie, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was discharged from the hospital.

According to the Washington County Sheriff’s office, witnesses said the crash occurred at 4:50 p.m. when 18 motorcycles were riding in a group around Hagg Lake near Gaston. The riders were spread out and not traveling close together. Many of them said they could not see each other.

According to police, a third motorcycle was involved in the crash and the man riding it left the scene after the collision. The man, known as “Chucky,” was riding with the group of motorcyclists when the crash happened.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office has requested that “Chucky” call investigators to give a statement about the sequence of events leading up to the incident.

The Washington County Crash Analysis Team reported to the scene of the crash after it was called in, and is still investigating the cause of the collision. It is still unknown what caused the motorcycles to crash or if they hit each other.

It’s also unclear, police said, if the motorcycle riders were engaging in illegal behavior leading up to the collision. State law allows motorcyclists to ride two-abreast in a lane if there is enough room. Washington County Sgt. David Thompson advised car drivers to be careful when driving by groups of motorcyclists.

“Treat them as any other vehicle.” he said. “Look out for motorcyclists.”