A motorcyclist was seriously injured Wednesday afternoon in a three-vehicle accident that caused a major thoroughfare through Jefferson City to be closed for a few hours.
According to Jefferson City Police Department reports, the accident occurred at 12:42 p.m. in the 1200 block of U.S. 50/63 East in the westbound lanes just before the Clark Avenue overpass.
A vehicle had stopped in the outer driving lane for an animal in the road, and Chad Smith, 34, Jefferson City, stopped behind that vehicle. A car going west in the outer lane changed lanes to the inside passing lane to avoid striking Smith's vehicle.
At that time, Richard Bird, 67, Foristell, was riding his motorcycle and was in the outer driving lane. When the car in front of him changed lanes to avoid Smith's vehicle, Bird was faced with Smith's stopped vehicle.
Bird applied his brakes and attempted to avoid Smith's vehicle by veering to his left toward the inside passing lane.
As Bird entered the inside passing lane, a vehicle driven by Chad Francis, 41, St. Thomas, was already in that lane.
Francis quickly applied his brakes, attempting to avoid striking Bird. But Francis then struck Bird's motorcycle. Bird was then thrown from the cycle, coming to a stop next to a concrete barrier separating the eastbound and westbound lanes.
Bird remained lodged under the front of Francis's vehicle until the vehicle came to a stop.
Authorities said Bird was flown to University Hospital in Columbia and was listed in serious condition Wednesday evening.
Once the accident was cleared Wednesday afternoon, the area of U.S. 50/63 East was reopened.