By Julie Snyder
C & G Staff Writer

ST. CLAIR SHORES — A 60-year-old Detroit woman was in critical condition April 24 following a Sunday afternoon motorcycle accident in the city.

Acting Traffic Lt. Carl Featherstone is leading a team of accident scene investigators from the St. Clair Shores Police Department in the ongoing crash scene analysis.

Featherstone said the victim was traveling west on Westbury at approximately 2:23 p.m. with her husband, who was riding a second motorcycle.

The lieutenant said the victim’s husband successfully completed the left-hand turn onto southbound Jefferson, but for reasons that remain unclear, the victim’s motorcycle did not complete the turn at the busy section of road south of Nine Mile, and instead headed into northbound traffic.

The victim was struck by a Ford Explorer driven by an unidentified woman. The impact severed the victim’s right leg.

“She’s in critical, but stable condition,” Featherstone said.

Featherstone said the woman driving the Ford Explorer was traveling the speed limit and was not injured in the accident.

Police Chief Charles Burnett said officers are still reconstructing the accident scene. The Westbury/Jefferson intersection was closed to traffic for several hours following the weekend crash in an attempt to determine the cause.

“They are trying to find out if it was a malfunction (of the motorcycle) or if it was operator error,” Burnett said.

Featherstone said he is also awaiting results of a toxicology test.

“We also try to determine if alcohol played a part (in any accident),” he said. “At this point, we don’t believe it did.”

You can reach Julie Snyder at jsnyder@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1039.