PORT ANGELES — A 64-year-old Port Angeles man remained in serious condition late Tuesday afternoon at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after he was involved in a motorcycle collision in which his wife was killed.
Sharron Currie, 63, died Monday afternoon after the couple’s 1991 Harley Davidson collided with a 2006 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by a 34-year-old Sequim woman who turned in front of the motorcycle, authorities said Tuesday.
Currie was pronounced deceased at the scene on O’Brien Road east of Port Angeles shortly after 3 p.m. Monday, Clallam County Sheriff’s Sgt. John Hollis said in a press release.
Her husband, whom authorities said was believed to be driving the 1991 Harley Davidson, was airlifted to Harborview following the collision.
He remained in the intensive care unit late Tuesday afternoon, hospital spokeswoman Susan Gregg said.
Chief Criminal Deputy Brian King said the investigation was continuing but also that it is not likely that criminal charges would be filed.
He declined to identify the driver of the pickup.
“We are not gong to release that until our investigation is done and we make a decision regarding an enforcement action,” he said.
King said the Curries were northbound on O’Brien Road when the collision occurred.
King said the Sequim woman was southbound when she turned left in front of the couple’s motorcycle to go into the parking lot of Fairview Bible Church in the 300 block of O’Brien Road.
A witness said the Harley was traveling “at a reasonable speed” estimated at 35 mph, Hollis said.
King said it did not appear the truck was being driven at an excessive speed.
The motorcycle and truck collided on the downward slope of a hill as the Curries descended it, King said.
The Harley skidded and struck the right passenger side of the vehicle, King said.
“From our preliminary investigation, it appears the driver did not see the Curries and the motorcycle, and the collision occurred,” King said.
“It appears the driver of the truck failed to yield the right of way.”
Neither drugs nor alcohol were involved, King said.
It does not appear the Sheriff’s Office will recommend criminal charges against the woman, he added. The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office would make that charging decision.
Under state law, criminal negligence requires prior knowledge that an act could cause death or serious injury, King said.
According to state law, “a person is criminally negligent or acts with criminal negligence when he or she fails to be aware of a substantial risk that a wrongful act may occur and his or her failure to be aware of such substantial risk constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would exercise in the same situation.”
“We don’t believe at this time that any negligence was involved,” King said.
“Driving is a divided-attention skill, and people sometimes, they will be inattentive or they just don’t recognize when one of those many divided attentions they need to be focused on.
“Unfortunately, accidents happen, and driving is inherently dangerous, and this is an extremely unfortunate event.
“She just didn’t see the motorcycle.”
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
