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A motorcyclist was struck and killed in a traffic collision on Moffett Boulevard Thursday morning, according to Mountain View police.
The motorcyclist was identified Friday by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office as 24-year-old Karl Holladay of Gilroy. Holladay was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died, police said.
The accident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 28, on the southbound side of the road near the Highway 85 over-crossing.
The vehicle was making a left turn onto Highway 85 from northbound Moffett boulevard when it collided with the motorcycle, which was traveling in a southbound lane, according to Sgt. Saul Jaeger of the Mountain View Police Department. It is still too early into the investigation to pin fault on either Holladay or the driver of the vehicle, Jaeger said.
“We are still investigating this and need to calculate speeds (and) distances to find out placement of each involved vehicle to make a determination,” Jaeger wrote in an email.
The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated with the ongoing investigation, police said.
Drugs and alcohol do not appear to be a factor in the collision, police said.
As of 5 p.m., both southbound lanes on Moffett just south of Highway 85 were re-opened after being closed for several hours.
Police are asking anyone who witnessed the collision or has any information about the incident to contact Lt. Mike Canfield at 650-903-6681 and refer to case number 15-2895.
Share the road is one thing, but it appears that the bike hit the car not the car hit the bike. Splitting lanes should be outlawed.
I was there….the car didnt see the motorcycle as it turned onto the ramp…so yes the bike hit the car…but the car didnt see it…
Dan,
Do not assume he was lane splitting, I doubt that you were there because I was. I was lying on the ground next to him assuring him that help was on the way. I also know that the driver did not see the bike when he made the left turn across the lane causing the bike to impact the side of the car.
Nova
Diana can you please call Traffic Officer Lloyd Curns. He can be reached at 903-6395
I was there too moments after it happen. It was very obvious that the driver of the auto did not see the cyclist.
The event has made me feel sick all afternoon. I feel fearful for the driver and sick for the poor cyclist.
I once had a Harley and sold it after a few years. I had my fun and was ready to sell while I was still alive.
I’m an R.N.who has worked ER and have seen many many motorcyclist arrive with their heads wide open.
I’m confused. The car was on Moffett, heading toward the Moffett Field gate, turning left onto the cloverleaf just before Moffett Boulevard passes under 85? And the motorcycle was heading south in opposing traffic? Did the driver of the car turn left in front of the motorcycle, causing it to broadside the car? How does one not see a motorcycle coming towards you in the middle of the day? Isn’t the left turn onto the 85 onramp a designated green light?
This reminds me of the tragic case recently of the gentleman who left his car at Costco tire and was hit crossing Charleston by a car turning left exiting the shopping center. I may be naive but how does one not see that someone is in the crosswalk or opposing lane coming right at you? Is this due to other cars blocking your view, or sun in your eyes, or cell phone distraction, in not making sure the intersection is clear to make a left turn?
Dan, you could not be more wrong. The car turned left in front of the motorcycle – they were traveling in opposite directions. So unless the rider blew through a red light or stop sign, the driver took right of way illegally, as well as the life of the rider. No reason to invoke “lane splitting” (which BTW is perfectly legal if done safely).
Drivers, please look out for motorcycles! And pedestrians. And focus on driving….
Wow.. some people just can’t wait to show their ignorance.
I ride. You hear about this scenario time and time again. A vehicle just turns left right into a motorcycle. They just don’t see the bike coming.
Not sure why lane splitting is being dragged into the discussion. This had nothing to do with lane splitting.
People who don’t like lane splitting just hate the idea of someone getting ahead of them in traffic. They’d rather there be one more vehicle stuck on the road along with them.
No matter who was at fault a young mans life is over. He had just returned from Minnesota after seeing his 7 year old daughter. Many lives have been changed by this accident. Especially one little girl.
Please say a prayer for Karl and his loved ones. Diana, you did your best. XO
I knew the young man who lost his life in this accident. I wasn’t there but if a car turns left right in front of u there isn’t much u can do. People driving should pay attention to what’s going on around them. It’s obvious the driver of the car was at fault for violating the right of way. Karl Halladay was my friend, he had a 5 year old little girl, who will never see her daddy again because of someone’s negligence. Put the cell phones down and pay attention when u drive. This tragedy could have been avoided if the driver of the car that turned in front of my friend would have waited two or three seconds longer to turn.
I don’t mind other people safely passing me or being in front of me on the road … what I DO mind is when people (most motorcyclists) rationalize NOT waiting their turn at any given point on the road and basically driving wherever the hell they want to by whining about the “So you want another vehicle clogging up the roads?” crap … if EVERYBODY ELSE can be patient and wait their turns, then SO CAN THE MOTORCYCLISTS … if MOTORCYCLISTS want DRIVERS to share the road, then SLOW the hell down and STOP driving like bats outta hell – you can’t have it BOTH ways … and for that matter, bicyclists who blow through STOP signs like they don’t exist are just as guilty of wanting it both ways … in this case, a responsible motorcycle driver was killed by an inept and irresponsible automobile driver … MAYBE the police can check the cellphone records of the driver??? The driver coulda been screwing around with the Almighty-and-never-to-be-put-down-nor-ignored cellphone … why else in clear, low-level, daytime traffic would a driver NOT see a motorcyclist as if the motorcyclist was INVISIBLE???!!! Because the driver might have just checked oncoming traffic in a blink, momentarily looking up from the text message that he/she was sending, looking for a larger vehicle on the road, and then looked back down at the cellphone in their lap to finish that all important text message, and then pulled in front of the motorcycle, basically using their car as an implement of murder.
We’ve had the pleasure of knowing the driver of the motorcycle Karl “Dean” on a personal level. He dated our daughter for about a year and a half. He was like a son to us, our whole family loved him and appreciated everything that he did. He was always willing to help out.
We were heartbroken by the news of his passing, but the thought of him being alone during his last moments was unbearable. So to hear that Nova was there for him, comforting him was reassuring. Our family is grateful that you took the time to be with him, thank you. Dean was a wonderful young man and he will be greatly missed.
Lane splitting is irrelevant to this accident but Otto is way off base as to reason motorists don’t like lane splitting. Lane splitting is dangerous and illegal in many states. A car driver need only turn their wheels without ever leaving their lane (ie contemplating a lane change) to hit a rider that comes zooming up beside her, scaring the begeezus out her (which also could cause an accident if she jerks her wheel in response). The problem is that most riders don’t split lanes legally- they’re only supposed to drive at 5mph more than the speed of other traffic yet we’ve all seen them zooming past stopped traffic at 25 mph or more. The reality is that motorcyclists would be safer if they didn’t split lanes. I hope they change the law.
Lane splitting is dangerous simply because there are so many careless and scofflaw automobile drivers. It is the law to signal before turns or lane changes within 100 feet of doing so.
1/2 of cars on the road seem to not bother to signal.
1/4 of cars on the road signal, but only as they begin to turn
Most of the remaining 1/4 only signal because nobody will allow them to merge into their lane even if they are passively aggressively trying to nose in.
Stop blaming motorcycles and start improving your own driving habits!
Thank you Bill and Denise,
I did not know him, but he has affected my life nonetheless. This incident has also affected others who were there, so I think it is important that I post this message that posted on Facebook by a member of Karl’s family.
To our family and friends. We regret to inform you that Dean Holladay, his actual name being Karl Dean Holladay, died in a tragic motorcycle accident on 5-28-2015. He is no longer here with us in body, but he is with us in spirit. He did not suffer. He was unconscious on site. A registered nurse lives in the apartments near the intersection where the accident occurred. She heard the crash and responded immediately. The first officer on the scene was a paramedic before becoming a police officer. Dean had a weak pulse and on the way to the hospital his heart stopped, and they were unable to revive him. Everyone at work had a close working relationship with him and loved him. He will be missed dearly by both family, friends, customers, plumbing suppliers, coworkers and ex employers.
We know that he touched everyone’s heart. This is evident in the reviews that people have left about him. He was a very hard worker of ours. He loved to talk to people. He loved to ride his motorcycle. He lives on in a young five year old daughter, two older sisters, two younger brothers, a mother and a father, his grandparents, his uncle and uncle’s daughter, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and other family members.
We would appreciate it if anyone who has had work done by Dean or anyone that thought highly of his workmanship or anyone that has a good story about him to write a review so his family can hear about the things that he has done for other people. One of the last things he did before getting on his motorcycle for his lunch break, was to help a co-worker John Anderson replace something that wasn’t work related. That was the kind of man that he was. That is the kind of man that we all are going to miss greatly without measure.
We would like to extend our gratitude to that nurse, to all the first responders, to the Stanford medical team and all the personal at Stanford that was with DuWyane. To the person driving the car that was involved in the accident, his parents and family would like to thank him for staying on the scene and cooperating with the investigation. We are not angry or mad at the person. Our thoughts and prayers are with the driver of the car involved in the accident.
All we ask is that anyone who reads this post will keep Dean’s family and friends in their prayers and remember how good of a man he was, as well as the experiences you had with him. Anything that he has done to touch your life that was special. Please write something and post it.
Lives are changed in an instance. My thoughts and prayers for the family of Karl Holladay of Gilroy and the driver.
Thank you all for your kind comments, Dean was an employee of my husbands and I. He is truly missed by all of us at our shop, as well as many other lives he has touched. We all truly miss him and our work environment is not the same without him. It is very evident on our company Yelp reviews how much his customers liked him! Dean, his family and his young daughter, Madi, you are all in our prayers.
I’m a retired EMT and I’ve seen way too many of these car-versus-motorcycle accidents. This is what we called “the left turn broadside” accident. Here’s how they usually happen:
When you turn right in a car, you usually turn your head to the right and look WITH BOTH EYES toward the oncoming traffic to your right. But, since you are sitting in the left seat, when you turn left – unless you make a conscious effort to do otherwise – you only look with your left eye to the left because looking with both eyes to the left requires that you twist your upper body in your seat to look to the left.
When you look with only one eye, you have no depth perception. And a motorcycle has practically no width – it looks like a only vertical line. The consequence: you can’t accurately judge how far away the motorcycle is or how fast it is going.
Look left with both eyes when turning left — even if it’s a little uncomformable. Better yet, if you see a bike approaching from your left, just wait and let it go by.
@Split lanes: Show me a law that says you can only split lanes 5mph faster than the cars. I say you’re making that up.
There is no plan to make lane splitting illegal in California. There is a proposed law, AB51, which specifies 15mph faster than traffic. So much for your 5mph made up nonsense.
You clearly don’t know what you are talking about. There are studies that show bikes who lane split get in half the accidents as bikes sitting in traffic. Imagine that.
The only people who want lane splitting made illegal are jealous. Plain and simple.
First of all my family and I would love to thank those who were with Karl right before he passed away. I would also like to thank everyone who has kept our family in their thoughts and prayers. Karl Holladay, was my cousin. He had a heart full of love to those he met. He loved life and loved to ride his motorcycle.
My family and I do not know all of the details of the accident yet, as it is still undergoing investigation. However, my family and I would like others to know that we bear no anger or resentment towards the driver of the other vehicle. My family and I are also very grateful that the driver stayed on scene and is cooperating with the investigation. It was an accident not a crime. The first thing I did after finding out that my cousin was in an accident, was to look up the accident and see if anyone else was injured in the collision. I was glad when I found out that no one else was hurt in the collision. The driver of the other vehicle is in my families prayers as we know it must be harder for that person in dealing with the fact that their vehicle collided with my cousin causing him to pass away. We also want to tell any lawyers who are using the accident as a means for advertising to stop! We do not want any lawyers, because we do not want to take the person involved to court! We also think it is very rude to chase down the family who has just lost someone dear to them. We have a name for people like this. We call them casket chasers. So don’t listen to these casket chasers! They are just a bunch of scum buckets preying on someone else’s pain.
To those who talk about the fact that my cousin should not have been splitting lanes, it is not relevant to this accident and I wish that people would not judge or post comments about my cousin or the other driver involved in the accident without having a full knowledge and understanding of what occurred. To summarize the news article above, Karl was traveling south on Moffett Blvd. and the driver was going northbound turned left in front of him causing him to broadside the vehicle. I have been to the scene of the accident. There is no stop sign or signal light at the intersection to warrant safe passage to vehicles traveling south on Moffett Blvd. and vehicles turning left onto the 85 ramp. It is a dangerous intersection were vehicles travel at high speeds both ways. So again it was only an accident.
It does not do well to think about what could have or should have happened. We cannot change the past. We must press forward knowing that the future is still bright. Even though Karl’s body is dead, his spirit is not. I know that my family and I will see him again. This is what we all look forward to. For now though, he lives on in a young five year old daughter, two older sisters, two younger brothers, a mother and a father, his grandparents, his uncle and uncle’s daughter, as well as many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and other family members.
My family and I would like to say thank you again to all those who responded to the accident, to the members of the Mountain view Fire and Police departments, as well as the staff at Stanford Hospital. Our hearts are filled with gratitude towards them and their efforts to help Karl and the driver of the other vehicle.
Thank you,
Sincerely Karl Dean Holladay’s Family
To all those who have kept our. Thank you to the ones who stayed by his side while waiting for medical personnel arrived. It means the world to us to know he wasn’t alone in this time as we all feared. Family in thought and prayers thank you. This has been a hardship on our family. As we have too have children that were close to Karl . We can all spend time on this what could of what should of but it will change nothing besides adding bitter thoughts and harden our hearts. That is not what Karl would want. We do have anger towards the other driver and hope they too can find peace in all this. Karl was loved by many and will not be forgotten. This tragic accident we can all learn from. It will do no good to point the finger at anyone. To those who commented bout split lanes and judging please stop please don’t post . It was hard to hear about our brother but to see comments that are negative doesn’t help our healing and saddens us more.Let us try to understand this and heal without trash talk. This maybe just another crash to others but Karl is someone to us and others. He’s not just something to talk about. Karl was a person and we do not wish to hear negative thoughts of a loved one especially from those who do not even know him nor having all the facts of the accident. Again thank u to all those who helped Karl in his last moment. Couldn’t have asked for more. Thank you. To the driver and their family we too keep you in our prayers.
Street closed for over 3 hours? Me thinks fatality or potential thereof. Open your eyes people. Share the road with motorcycles.
What does lane sharing have to do with a car violating the motorcycle’s right of way?
Regardless, lane sharing is perfectly safe and legal when practiced properly. I think most people that oppose it are just pissed off that they have to sit in traffic.
The CAR didn’t see the motorcycle? Are the DRIVERLESS Google cars in operation now?
Or is it the DRIVER OF THE CAR that did not see the motorcyclist?
The difference counts now that these type of cars are being tested in Mountain View streets.