19-year-old motorcyclist in ICU after being hit by truck in North Strabane Township

NORTH STRABANE TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A 19-year-old Washington County man is in the ICU after a driver made an illegal left turn, striking his motorcycle.

The accident happened around 7:30 a.m. on March 13 as Jeffrey Chickis was on the way to work on Morganza Road. North Strabane Township police say a driver crossed the double yellow line and illegally turned left onto Curry Hill Road.

“It was a full-size Dodge Ram pickup,” said Jeff Chickis, Jeffrey’s father. From what we were told yesterday, there’s an imprint on the guy’s hood of my son’s face.”

Jeffrey has two broken arms, broken wrists, a broken nose, a pelvis broken in three places and brain bleeds. Trauma doctors say Jeffrey’s helmet saved his life.

“The crash was so fierce it actually knocked his helmet off. We were told the helmet was found 50-75 feet away,” said Jeff. “The buckle from the chin strap sliced, took a chunk out of his neck, his chin.”

“Thinking with how bad his injuries are and how much he sustained he must have had a pretty big impact,” said Dr. Jennifer Chen, AGH trauma surgeon.

“Patients who don’t wear helmets are three times as likely to get a traumatic brain injury in motorcycle accidents.”

North Strabane police are investigating the crash and charges are pending. Investigators tell Channel 11 that the driver’s left turn was illegal and that other drivers also illegally turned into the Sewer Plant property.

Jeffrey’s family is hoping anyone who witnessed the accident last Wednesday morning, or who stopped to help, will come forward. Jeff said he appreciated the police officer who told him the helmet he bought his son for Christmas saved his life.

“He told me that’s a top-of-the-line helmet and I had a part in saving my son’s life. Helmets save lives, watch out for the bikes.”

A GoFundMe has been set up for the victim. Click here to donate.

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