Two men killed in separate Longview accidents Wednesday

LONGVIEW, TX (KLTV) - It was a deadly day on the roads in one East Texas city as two people are killed in two separate crashes in Longview.
One thing both incidents had in common was that they involved motorcycles.
   
Just before 7 a.m. in the 4000 block of Highway 80, a man wearing dark clothing darted across the roadway, apparently trying to beat traffic.
 
"This was in the middle of the road so there was no crosswalk, no intersection. A pedestrian tried to run across the street and was hit by a motorcycle,
actually ran into a motorcycle," says Longview Police Officer Kristie Brian.

He was then hit by an oncoming car.

59-year-old Terry Ray Decaro of Longview, died at the scene.

Then around noon, a car turned in front of an oncoming motorcycle on Gilmer Road near Wain Street, with the rider impacting the side of the car.
31-year-old Brett Alan Crump of Longview died at the scene.

"We cringe every time we hear it, and we get multiple calls every year of a pedestrian getting struck by a vehicle. A person versus a vehicle is usually
never a good outcome," says Longview Fire Marshal Johnny Zackary.
 
Former police officer and now defensive driving instructor Joe Russell says the two incidents have a common factor.

"It sounds like the pedestrian just wasn't paying attention, and of course motorcycles are very difficult to see. It's very easy to lose a motorcycle in traffic," He says.

From a driver's perspective, with a car behind it, a motorcycle can blend in to traffic.
 
"We can be distracted by things outside our car, and just not pay attention to what's going on around us. It's probably the most dangerous thing people do every day," Russell says.

He says drivers cannot be distracted and must pay attention to what's happening on, and off, the roadway.

"We had three fatalities right here on Highway 80 within a four or five month stretch where people were going across the road, and none of them were at a crossing," Russell said. 

"Drivers do need to be aware that at any moment something could get in their pathway," Zackary says.
 
No one was ticketed for the pedestrian wreck on Highway 80.

The driver of the car that hit the motorcycle on Gilmer Road was ticketed for failing to yield the right of way.

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