Man loses leg after motorcycle crash near Petaluma

A man had to have one of his legs amputated Wednesday after his motorcycle struck at high speed a car near Petaluma, authorities said.|
ROBERT DIGITALE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

An Oakland man had to have a leg amputated Wednesday after his motorcycle struck a car west of Petaluma at high speed, authorities said.

Andrew Irby, 31, suffered major injuries and was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital after the 2 p.m. crash on Bodega Avenue, west of Thompson Lane, the CHP said in a news release.

“Due to the extensive damage, Irby’s right leg was amputated,” CHP said.

Irby was driving east on Bodega when he came upon an eastbound Ford C-MAX compact driven by Jacki Crawford, a Sonoma County code enforcement officer. Crawford was about to turn left from Bodega into a private driveway.

Attempting to pass, Irby crossed a double yellow line and struck the left side of the C-MAX as it turned.

Irby’s “choice to drive at high speed and pass over double yellow lines led to a life-altering injury,” CHP Officer Kimberly Lemons said in the release.

Crawford was not injured, CHP said. Neither driver showed signs of drug or alcohol impairment.

You can reach Staff Writer Robert Digitale at 707-521-5285 or robert.digitale@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @rdigit.

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