(North Dakota Monitor) -Three people died in motorcycle accidents during the recently concluded Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, according to the official tally of the state Department of Public Safety, but the actual number of motorcycle-involved traffic deaths in the state from the days before, during and after the event is 12.
The department, which includes the Highway Patrol, attributes traffic deaths to the rally only if they occur in a particular area of western South Dakota during the official rally dates, up to the morning of the last day. That number this year was three deaths, down from five last year.
According to the North Dakota Monitor when the scope is expanded to motorcycle-involved crashes in all of South Dakota during not only the rally dates but also the days just before and afterward, this year’s death toll is 12 and last year’s was 11. Neither number includes any rallygoers who may have died in other states while traveling to or from the rally.
In other statistics, this year’s rally included more arrests for drug possession and impaired driving, but fewer crashes and citations.
Law enforcement also seized $71,504 in assets allegedly tied to criminal activity this year – more than 35 times the total from 2023 – and arrested seven men on sex trafficking charges.
Automated traffic counters showed a slight decrease in traffic compared to the previous five-year average.
The rally began Aug. 2 and ended Sunday.
Fatalities, injuries
Among the motorcycle-involved traffic deaths not included in the official tally, five occurred during the three days immediately preceding the rally’s Aug. 2 start, and two occurred the day after the rally’s Aug. 11 end.
Two others were omitted from the tally because one occurred during the rally but on Interstate 90 near Hartford, outside of the area of western South Dakota included in the official count; and the other occurred near Deadwood in western South Dakota on the final Sunday afternoon of the rally, after the Highway Patrol stopped counting rally statistics at 6 a.m. that day.
Ten of the people killed in this year’s crashes were driving Harley-Davidsons, and two were driving other kinds of motorcycles. Two of the deceased people were from South Dakota; others were from Iowa, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota; two were from Ohio; and the residence of three of the people has not yet been released.
The North Dakota victim was James Luchi, 73, of Watford City. An obituary for Luchi said he had been at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally for his 37th year.
A report from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety said a minivan turned in front of Luchi.
Three of the 12 deceased people were wearing a helmet, seven were not wearing helmets, and helmet usage remains under investigation in the other two accidents.
In addition to fatal accidents, this year’s rally included 35 accidents that caused injuries and 54 that did not. Last year’s totals were 64 and 58, respectively.
Motorcycle-involved traffic deaths
Motorcycle-involved traffic deaths from the days before, during and after the 2024 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, listed by name, age, place of residence, type of motorcycle driven, accident location, accident date and helmet status:
- 29-year-old male (name not yet released); 2007 Suzuki GSX-R1000; Interstate 90, mile marker 401, 2 miles east of Sioux Falls city limits; Monday, Aug. 12; helmet worn.
- 22-year-old male (name not yet released); 2014 BMW S1000 RR; U.S. Highway 14A, mile marker 21, 10 miles south of Spearfish; Monday, Aug. 12; helmet worn.
- 68-year-old male (name not yet released); 2001 Harley-Davidson FLHT; U.S. Highway 385, mile marker 120, 2 miles south of Deadwood; Sunday, Aug. 11; no helmet
- David Leon Rowe; 67-year-old male from Williamsburg, Iowa; 2017 Harley-Davidson Heritage; Interstate 90, mile marker 387, 1 mile west of Hartford; Friday, Aug. 9; helmet use under investigation.
- Ricky Dale Hardin; 64-year-old male from Henry, Tennessee; 2007 Harley-Davidson STC; Interstate 90, mile marker 161, 2 miles west of Belvidere; Tuesday, Aug. 6; helmet use under investigation.
- Patti Jo Craig; 69-year-old female from Watertown, Wisconsin; 2023 Harley-Davidson FLHXSE; U.S. Highway 85, mile marker 45, Spearfish; Monday, Aug. 5; no helmet.
- Jeffrey Allan Brookman; 65-year-old male from Fostoria, Ohio; 2003 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide; Nemo Road and Pine Cone Avenue, 8 miles east of Nemo; Monday, Aug. 5; no helmet.
- Joel Gary Erickson; 60-year-old male from Montgomery, Minnesota; 1994 Harley-Davidson Cruiser; 12445 Old Hill City Road, Hill City; Wednesday, July 31; no helmet.
- Austin Eugene Dahl; 46-year-old male from Rapid City; 2010 Harley Davidson-FLTRX; Nemo Road and Estes Creek Road, 1 mile south of Nemo; Wednesday, July 31; helmet worn.
- Jerry A. Shafer; 60-year-old male from Homeworth, Ohio; 2024 Harley-Davidson; U.S. Highway 18, mile marker 430 and 466th Ave.; 5 miles south of Lennox; Tuesday, July 30; no helmet.
- Kimberly Lynn Welch; 53-year-old female from Rapid City; 2023 Harley-Davidson Street Glide; U.S. Highway 85, mile marker 3, 13 miles southwest of Cheyenne Crossing; Tuesday, July 30; no helmet.
- James Eugene Luchi; 73-year-old male from Watford City, North Dakota; 2017 Harley-Davidson Trike; U.S. 85 and SD Highway 168, 30 miles north of Belle Fourche; Tuesday, July 30; no helmet.
Source: South Dakota Department of Public Safety
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