Great Barrington — Twenty-year-old Wyeth Curtis was killed on Thursday, October 2, after he collided with a moose on Route 7 near Monument Mountain Regional High School.
According to Police Chief Paul Storti, Curtis was traveling southbound on Route 7 just south of the high school and struck a moose that was crossing from the west of Route 7.
A vehicle traveling northbound slowed down after the incident, but another vehicle also traveling northbound struck Curtis’s motorcycle, which was lying in the northbound lane. That vehicle also collided with the rear of the northbound vehicle that had slowed. There were minor injuries to the occupants of both vehicles.
Storti deferred all questions to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office.
The Berkshire Edge contacted Berkshire District Attorney’s Office Chief of Operations Julia Sabourin on Friday, October 3, for further details on the accident, but she did not respond by press time.
Neither Sabourin nor Storti has released further details of the accident by press time on October 6.
On Saturday, October 4, a tribute to Curtis was posted on the public Facebook page of Berkshire Bike and Board:
It is with profound sadness that I share news of a tragic loss in our community. Thursday night, we lost Wyeth Curtis, a valued team member, friend, and fellow rider, in an unexpected motorcycle accident.
Wyeth joined our team as a teenager, and we watched him grow into a young adult. His enthusiasm and willingness to help out anyone that walked through the door was always present. He was a vibrant spirit, a passionate biker, and someone whose presence lit up our space.
Whether it was his enthusiasm on the road, his dedicated work with our BBB team, or the way he connected with each of us, Wyeth made a lasting impact that won’t be forgotten.
We will see you on the endless trail in the sky buddy.
Update – Right after this article was published on The Berkshire Edge on October 6, Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office Chief of Operations Julia Sabourin issued the following statement:
On Thursday, October 2, at approximately 10:34 p.m. the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office responded to a fatal motorcycle collision on the Route 7 southbound lane in Great Barrington. At 10:17 p.m. a 911 call was placed reporting a motorcycle collision on Route 7 between the Great Barrington Recycling Center and the Monument Mountain Trustees Reservation parking lot. The motorcyclist was later identified as Wyeth Curtis (20 years old). Mr. Curtis was operating a Kawasaki motorcycle.
When law enforcement arrived, they discovered both the motorcyclist and a moose on the pavement in the southbound lane. Initial investigations showed that a moose stepped onto the southbound lane and was struck by the motorcyclist. Early investigations show that both the moose and motorcyclist died due to impact. The moose appeared to have fallen at the point of impact. The motorcyclist struck the pavement just south of the moose.
Based on evidence from the scene, the motorcycle (without driver) continued to travel southbound after the collision eventually coming to rest in the northbound lane. Two additional vehicles that were traveling in the northbound lane, a Subaru Forester and a Honda Civic, also suffered a collision in the northbound lane. Early investigations show the cause of this collision was related to the motorcycling laying in the northbound lane.
Law enforcement and emergency response included the Great Barrington Police Department; Southern Berkshire EMS; the Massachusetts State Police Troop B; the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office; and the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis Reconstruction Section.
