Summonses issued for New Jersey motorist who hit motorcyclist

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We have all been tempted before. You're in a hurry and miss a turn while driving down the highway. You see an opportunity to make a U-turn, but a sign indicates that a U-turn cannot be made at this particular intersection. What do you do? One Mahwah woman learned the hard way that traffic signs should always be followed after she made an illegal U-turn and struck a motorcycle, leaving its rider with serious head and internal injuries. The accident occurred on July 11 at the intersection of MacArthur Boulevard and Darlington Avenue in Mahwah. The 58-year-old motorcyclist was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle down Darlington Avenue when the woman made an improper U-turn on MacArthur Boulevard and clipped the motorcycle. Following the collision, the woman reportedly kept driving and then returned to the scene shortly after. Bystanders and other motorists rendered aid to the motorcyclist and lifted his Harley off of him. The 58-year-old was unconscious. The motorcyclist was immediately taken to Hackensack University Medical Center and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit to be treated for his serious injuries. His current condition has not been released. Several witnesses made statements at the scene of the accident, as did the woman driver. However, since the day of the accident, the woman has refused to give another statement to police. The city's police chief recently told reporters that the woman was issued summonses for leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury, careless driving, improper turn at an intersection, failure to yield and making an illegal U-turn. Remember this scenario next time you find yourself tempted to make an illegal U-turn. Although an illegal U-turn might save you time, it could also cost you a criminal record and someone else their life. Source: NorthJersey.com, "Mahwah woman issued summonses for hitting a motorcyclist with her car," Barbara Boucicaut, 7/20/2011.