Norman Absher Killed in Phoenix Motorcycle Accident
Information regarding a fatal motorcycle collision on Seventh Street
Norman Absher, 39, of Phoenix, died Saturday, March 22, after his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck at Seventh Street and Piute Avenue, Phoenix police said. The crash happened when a truck, turning left, entered the path of Absher's oncoming motorcycle, authorities reported. Paramedics rushed Absher to a hospital, where he later died. The truck driver remained at the scene, police said. Officers did not suspect impairment from drugs or alcohol. Police are investigating whether the motorcycle's speed contributed to the crash. Investigators are also looking into whether the truck driver failed to clear the intersection before turning. The Phoenix Police Department is investigating the crash.
The Phoenix Police Department is leading the ongoing investigation into the collision. Officers arrived at the scene near the North Phoenix intersection at approximately 3:09 p.m. to find the motorcycle operator in critical condition. While the truck driver remained cooperative and showed no signs of impairment, investigators noted that the maneuver of turning left across the path of an oncoming vehicle is a primary focus of the inquiry. The roadway remained restricted for several hours as detectives mapped the scene and analyzed vehicle positioning. No criminal charges have been filed at this stage of the investigation.
National Legal Analyst Cristina Perez, Attorney at Perez Law Group, noted that "Most people don't know that left-hand turns are involved in over twenty-two percent of all fatal traffic accidents in our country. It’s a complex maneuver that requires judging the speed of oncoming traffic perfectly to avoid a deadly collision."
Under Arizona's wrongful death statute (A.R.S. § 12-611), surviving family members including a spouse, children, or parents may pursue a civil claim when a death is caused by a "wrongful act, neglect or default." Arizona follows a pure comparative negligence system, meaning that even if a decedent is found partially at fault for an incident, their estate may still recover damages proportional to the other involved party's level of liability.
The statute of limitations for filing a wrongful death claim in Arizona is generally two years from the date of the incident. Recoverable damages often include funeral and burial expenses, the loss of future financial support, and compensation for the loss of companionship and emotional suffering experienced by the survivors. In motorcycle cases involving left-turn collisions, determining the exact percentage of fault between a turning vehicle and an approaching rider is a critical component of the litigation process.