DISCOVERY BAY — A Port Angeles man was in critical condition Saturday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after a Thursday wreck on state Highway 104 threw him from the motorcycle he was riding.
A car moved into the lane of the motorcyclist, Phillip L. Charles, leading to him lose control of his motorcycle, the State Patrol said.
Charles, 71, was riding a 2006 Harley-Davidson motorcycle just behind another rider, Randal D. Miller, 57, of Port Angeles, east on Highway 104 near the junction with U.S. Highway 101 at about 1 p.m. when an unidentified westbound car shifted into his lane to pass another vehicle, the State Patrol said.
Miller and Charles both braked to avoid a collision, Winger said.
Charles lost control and was thrown from the motorcycle as it turned onto its side.
Miller was not injured, the State Patrol said, and the car continued west without striking either motorcycle.
Charles was taken by ambulance to Discovery Bay, where he was airlifted to Harborview.
Winger said the car appeared to make an unsafe pass, though it occurred in an area of the highway where passing is technically legal.
“It’s legal to pass in that area,” he said. “You have to do it safely.”
An improper pass would be an infraction, said State Patrol spokesman Russ Winger, adding that the case is still under investigation.
Troopers may put out a call for witnesses of the incident as part of the investigation, he added.
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Reporter Jeremy Schwartz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jschwartz@peninsuladailynews.com.
