Deer causes Lake County motorcycle crash

A Hidden Valley Lake motorcyclist suffered moderate injuries Tuesday night when he crashed into a deer, the Lake County CHP said.

Daniel Jonathan Sweet, 24, was riding a 2005 BMW bike on Highway 175 near Middletown about 8 p.m. when the animal ran into his path. Sweet hit the deer and was thrown from his bike.

He was flown by helicopter to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with possible neck and back injuries, the CHP said.

The crash remained under investigation, but alcohol or drugs weren’t suspected as factors. Highway 175 is a rural, two-lane route connecting Hopland in Mendocino County to Lakeport in Lake County. Sweet was the second motorcyclist injured in a crash in 24 hours in Lake County.

On Monday, Erik Jones, 44, of Lucerne crashed on Highway 20 as he rode a motorcycle near Blue Lakes, north of Clear Lake, the CHP said.

The 8:10 p.m. crash happened near Irvine Avenue. Jones had been heading eastbound at about 55 mph when he lost control of his 1994 Honda motorcycle, the CHP said. The bike slid to the right shoulder and stopped up against a metal guard rail.

He was flown by medical helicopter to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

The CHP said Jones wasn’t suspected of being under the influence and the crash remained under investigation.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 707-521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@rossmannreport.