Cahuilla Creek life flight yesterday. Anyone there?

SEEMEFIRST
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6/12/2023 5:17pm

After 15 years or so of officiating motocross events, I

1: would never start an event without at least 1 team of EMTs on a Mule.

2: Some events are just so bad that intervention won't help.

GODSPEED to the rider, and his family and friends. 

15
Luxon MX
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6/12/2023 6:06pm
Luxon MX wrote:
I've heard that they just default to the helicopter now as it takes so long for an ambulance to get there and actually get the rider...

I've heard that they just default to the helicopter now as it takes so long for an ambulance to get there and actually get the rider to a hospital. And a helicopter is much more noticeable than an ambulance, so it just seems that there are more issues at Cahuilla than other tracks. Hopefully that's the case and everyone is ok.

T-Fish wrote:

They have to WAIT for an ambulance to get there? They don’t have one there on site for the duration of the racing???

They may have had one there for the race, I don't know. I haven't seen one there for practice days, but I suspect there's an ambulance available not far away regardless. It's more about the long drive from the track to the hospital, especially with traffic on the 79.

6/12/2023 6:13pm

Doesn’t an EMS have to be on site for racing/practice? I vaguely recall having to wait for EMS to show up to go out for practice before 

2
Zachintosh
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6/12/2023 6:15pm

Life flight the last time I was there as well!

I used to really love the track but it’s pretty damn gnarly these days. When you build a main track with unforgiving features accompanied by a vet track that is more of an intermediate track, things like this are going to happen - and they do…a lot. 

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4

The Shop

StillSmokin
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6/12/2023 7:32pm

Did he pass? Gofundme says traumatic brain injury. Maybe he can recover.

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NSP139
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6/12/2023 7:38pm

Did he pass? Gofundme says traumatic brain injury. Maybe he can recover.

That's what I'm reading also positive thoughts still a chance!

2
billyboy
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6/12/2023 8:06pm

I saw the accident and was 20ft away when it happened. He did an endo over the jump and there wasn’t any contact by any other rider. When he went over the bars the bike cartwheeled and sheered the rear fender off exposing the rear subframe of the motorcycle, then it landed subframe down striking him in the face/head. It was a horrific accident and my prayers go out to the family.

Cahuilla is one of the best facilities in So Cal. Both tracks are well maintained. The dirt is loamy so natural holes will develop on jumps and throughout the track. Don’t blame the prep either, this is motocross, not road racing, holes and ruts are part of the sport.

28
6/12/2023 8:43pm
billyboy wrote:
I saw the accident and was 20ft away when it happened. He did an endo over the jump and there wasn’t any contact by any other...

I saw the accident and was 20ft away when it happened. He did an endo over the jump and there wasn’t any contact by any other rider. When he went over the bars the bike cartwheeled and sheered the rear fender off exposing the rear subframe of the motorcycle, then it landed subframe down striking him in the face/head. It was a horrific accident and my prayers go out to the family.

Cahuilla is one of the best facilities in So Cal. Both tracks are well maintained. The dirt is loamy so natural holes will develop on jumps and throughout the track. Don’t blame the prep either, this is motocross, not road racing, holes and ruts are part of the sport.

Jeez, what a crazy crash. Terrible. 

1
6/13/2023 12:37am

RIP young man. Prayers from my family to yours. 
 

Vital members please understand we cannot have unprepped tracks (Lommel) and BMX tracks (perfectly groomed) at the same time. This is a tragic event and the worst outcome of our beloved sport. We all know the risk we expose ourselves to in MX yet we think “it will never happen to me.”  These are the risk we take to enjoy the feeling only a dirtbike can give us. 
 

Once again, RIP young man. 

1
SLAPAHO
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6/13/2023 11:08am

Did he pass? Gofundme says traumatic brain injury. Maybe he can recover.

He's in ICU, from what I'm hearing as of this morning. 

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KennyT
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6/13/2023 11:13am

Did he pass? Gofundme says traumatic brain injury. Maybe he can recover.

SLAPAHO wrote:

He's in ICU, from what I'm hearing as of this morning. 

That is awesome news….I hope he’s able to pull through 🙏

5
SoCalMX70
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6/13/2023 11:14am

Did he pass? Gofundme says traumatic brain injury. Maybe he can recover.

SLAPAHO wrote:

He's in ICU, from what I'm hearing as of this morning. 

If that's the case, lesson learned from me. I should know better than to repeat something potentially so tragic, but not yet confirmed.

Apologies for spreading potentially false information.

16
HazemG
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6/13/2023 11:15am Edited Date/Time 6/13/2023 2:04pm

Praying for him to pull through and recover fully!  Really disrespectful to spread speculation as fact... let's keep this thread going with updates about his actual condition if possible.

 

Edit: SocalMX, not talking about you, and good on you for taking ownership and recognizing a learning opportunity.  

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truck
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6/13/2023 1:29pm

If he left on the helicopter, he wasn't dead. Helicopter isn't landing at the medical examiner's office. 

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Richy
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6/13/2023 1:48pm
truck wrote:

If he left on the helicopter, he wasn't dead. Helicopter isn't landing at the medical examiner's office. 

People can pass during transport, or after arrival at hospital, I don't think anyone was implying he had died prior to leaving?

But who knows, not here to speculate, hopefully he's hanging on and continues to do so.

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truck
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6/13/2023 2:05pm
truck wrote:

If he left on the helicopter, he wasn't dead. Helicopter isn't landing at the medical examiner's office. 

Richy wrote:
People can pass during transport, or after arrival at hospital, I don't think anyone was implying he had died prior to leaving? But who knows, not...

People can pass during transport, or after arrival at hospital, I don't think anyone was implying he had died prior to leaving?

But who knows, not here to speculate, hopefully he's hanging on and continues to do so.

That's what I took some of the comments to imply, that he died on scene and this was known at the track, but may not have been what people meant. Not trying to be insensitive and yes can certainly die during transport, just more sharing the fact that if they lift off from scene with patient, they aren't dead at that point. 

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Ob917
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6/13/2023 2:51pm

Wow, wishing the best to him. 

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motomom83
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6/13/2023 4:29pm
Yup, I was there and racing OTMX on the vet track. It happened in the first "Support" class moto that i was in, although i believe...

Yup, I was there and racing OTMX on the vet track. It happened in the first "Support" class moto that i was in, although i believe the kid (i believe 17years old) was in the Support Novice class on a 125 which was 2nd gate drop. I was in Support Expert and we had a pretty full gate combined with Support Intermediate and we collectively had the 1st gate drop. Everything was normal until we were finishing lap 3, we came to the finish line section and there were a bunch of people standing on the first stepup double out of the corner waving their arms. We all checked up and rolled past the guy laying on the ground in the center of the track after the landing before the finish with 4-5 people around him. We immediately got the red flag on the finish line table afterwards.

I suspect the kid endo'd really badly on the stepup before the finish line because there was a pretty sharp knuckle right on the lip that was kicking us faster guys pretty sketchy off of. I'm hearing from people who saw it happen that the bike landed on his head and pierced through his goggles. I have gopro of me rolling by the kid, but out of respect i'm not going to post any of that footage.

Paramedics arrived with ambulance about 20 minutes after and were working on him till chopper arrived. It took what seemed like a half hour or so for life flight to arrive and the chopper didn't immediately leave after they loaded him up. It was truly a chaotic situation and they were fighting for his life.

Before the chopper lifted off, we had a rider's meeting and unanimously voted to cancel the racing for the day out of respect. 

I'm hearing that the kid didn't make it and its heart wrenching. I'm sincerely gutted. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family, track crew, and medics who did everything they possibly could to save this kid.

just fyi, he did not pass. He’s in the ICU

7
motomom83
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6/13/2023 4:30pm
kylemenz1 wrote:
RIP young man. Prayers from my family to yours.    Vital members please understand we cannot have unprepped tracks (Lommel) and BMX tracks (perfectly groomed) at the...

RIP young man. Prayers from my family to yours. 
 

Vital members please understand we cannot have unprepped tracks (Lommel) and BMX tracks (perfectly groomed) at the same time. This is a tragic event and the worst outcome of our beloved sport. We all know the risk we expose ourselves to in MX yet we think “it will never happen to me.”  These are the risk we take to enjoy the feeling only a dirtbike can give us. 
 

Once again, RIP young man. 

just fyi, he did not pass. 

3
motomom83
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6/13/2023 4:31pm
SrfNdirt wrote:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/hyqerr-medical-expenses?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=sms&utm_source=customer RIP Rodolfo. I think I raced his dad once at GH 2 strokin' it and Jr. was on the side of the track cheering us...

https://www.gofundme.com/f/hyqerr-medical-expenses?utm_campaign=p_cp+sh…

RIP Rodolfo. I think I raced his dad once at GH 2 strokin' it and Jr. was on the side of the track cheering us on.  Prayers to the Romero family. 

he did not pass. 

3
motomom83
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6/13/2023 4:50pm
KennyT wrote:
I was at the oldtimers race yesterday with some friends and a guy went down pretty hard with severe head trauma. The copter came in and...

I was at the oldtimers race yesterday with some friends and a guy went down pretty hard with severe head trauma. The copter came in and They cancelled the rest of the races. I know some of you guys attend those races regularly. Anyone know how the guy is doing? The were so many conflicting reports at the track I have no idea how he is. Just concerned and hoping he’ll be okay. 
 

 

he hasn’t passed, he’s in the ICU

3
SEEMEFIRST
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6/13/2023 5:05pm
KennyT wrote:
I was at the oldtimers race yesterday with some friends and a guy went down pretty hard with severe head trauma. The copter came in and...

I was at the oldtimers race yesterday with some friends and a guy went down pretty hard with severe head trauma. The copter came in and They cancelled the rest of the races. I know some of you guys attend those races regularly. Anyone know how the guy is doing? The were so many conflicting reports at the track I have no idea how he is. Just concerned and hoping he’ll be okay. 
 

 

motomom83 wrote:

he hasn’t passed, he’s in the ICU

Praying for the best outcome. 

5
lumpy790
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6/13/2023 5:32pm Edited Date/Time 6/13/2023 5:32pm

That is great news that he is fighting!

As a person who was life flighted with a TBI myself its a tough road but be patient and it gets better with time. My wife did this for me while I was still in ICU. Start doing research and and locate a Good rehabilitation facility. They are not all the same. Its a slow process relearning how to do things. Go visit the rehab locations and see the treatments before deciding. A really good one will be near the trama hospital. 

6
6/13/2023 7:24pm

Thank God! Praying for a full recovery!

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motomom83
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6/13/2023 8:10pm

Did he pass? Gofundme says traumatic brain injury. Maybe he can recover.

SLAPAHO wrote:

He's in ICU, from what I'm hearing as of this morning. 

SoCalMX70 wrote:
If that's the case, lesson learned from me. I should know better than to repeat something potentially so tragic, but not yet confirmed. Apologies for spreading...

If that's the case, lesson learned from me. I should know better than to repeat something potentially so tragic, but not yet confirmed.

Apologies for spreading potentially false information.

He did not pass. He’s still fighting for his life in the ICU, We’re all hoping for a miracle 

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Radical
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6/13/2023 8:28pm

Praying, and donated a small amount.

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motomom83
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6/14/2023 7:53pm
Yup, I was there and racing OTMX on the vet track. It happened in the first "Support" class moto that i was in, although i believe...

Yup, I was there and racing OTMX on the vet track. It happened in the first "Support" class moto that i was in, although i believe the kid (i believe 17years old) was in the Support Novice class on a 125 which was 2nd gate drop. I was in Support Expert and we had a pretty full gate combined with Support Intermediate and we collectively had the 1st gate drop. Everything was normal until we were finishing lap 3, we came to the finish line section and there were a bunch of people standing on the first stepup double out of the corner waving their arms. We all checked up and rolled past the guy laying on the ground in the center of the track after the landing before the finish with 4-5 people around him. We immediately got the red flag on the finish line table afterwards.

I suspect the kid endo'd really badly on the stepup before the finish line because there was a pretty sharp knuckle right on the lip that was kicking us faster guys pretty sketchy off of. I'm hearing from people who saw it happen that the bike landed on his head and pierced through his goggles. I have gopro of me rolling by the kid, but out of respect i'm not going to post any of that footage.

Paramedics arrived with ambulance about 20 minutes after and were working on him till chopper arrived. It took what seemed like a half hour or so for life flight to arrive and the chopper didn't immediately leave after they loaded him up. It was truly a chaotic situation and they were fighting for his life.

Before the chopper lifted off, we had a rider's meeting and unanimously voted to cancel the racing for the day out of respect. 

I'm hearing that the kid didn't make it and its heart wrenching. I'm sincerely gutted. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family, track crew, and medics who did everything they possibly could to save this kid.

He’s in the ICU. 

Hammer 663s
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6/14/2023 8:49pm

This one guts me. We took a friend of my boy's (a 15 year old) riding with us Sunday. He had a massive endo and ended up with fractures in T4-7, a burst fracture of T8, and a compression fracture of T11. Plus a broken wrist and a concussion. He is not paralyzed and the prognosis is actually pretty good considering the injury list. I saw the crash from 50 feet away and it was a huge hit. The worst thoughts went through my mind as I ran to the top of the jump he crashed on to redirect traffic and I was deeply afraid for him. We were having a great day and it went to total sh!t in 5 seconds. This sport is so engrained in our lives but dammit the risks are so high. I don't know how to balance that in my head. I hope both these young men recover. 

14
BBA
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6/15/2023 4:21am
This one guts me. We took a friend of my boy's (a 15 year old) riding with us Sunday. He had a massive endo and ended...

This one guts me. We took a friend of my boy's (a 15 year old) riding with us Sunday. He had a massive endo and ended up with fractures in T4-7, a burst fracture of T8, and a compression fracture of T11. Plus a broken wrist and a concussion. He is not paralyzed and the prognosis is actually pretty good considering the injury list. I saw the crash from 50 feet away and it was a huge hit. The worst thoughts went through my mind as I ran to the top of the jump he crashed on to redirect traffic and I was deeply afraid for him. We were having a great day and it went to total sh!t in 5 seconds. This sport is so engrained in our lives but dammit the risks are so high. I don't know how to balance that in my head. I hope both these young men recover. 

That run toward your downed rider is the worst distance of your life. Sadly, I know it all too well. You're right, this sport is engrained in our lives but if my son ever wanted to hang up the riding boots I would not talk him out of it. My prayers go out to both of these young riders and wish for a fast & full recovery. 

7

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