Cody Sylvest Killed in Motorcycle Accident in Abilene, TX
Abilene, TX -- June 16, 2022, Cody Sylvest was killed due to an accident where a motorcycle and a truck collided.
Investigators reported that the crash took place at around 12:30 a.m. along Arnold Boulevard north of US 84.
Officials said that 46-year-old Cody Sylvest was on a motorcycle traveling along Arnold. Somehow, the motorcycle collided with a truck pulling a trailer.
Due to the collision, Sylvest sustained fatal injuries. No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Cody Sylvest Motorcycle Accident in Abilene
With a situation like this, my hope is that people aren't just jumping to conclusions. Not only did this happen at a time of night when alcohol is very common, but people generally are quick to blame motorcyclists just for being motorcyclists. Taking steps to investigate these things while also understanding there could be other unusual circumstances at work is crucial.
First of all, alcohol is common early in the morning. It's also important to consider given the fact many deadly wrecks like this involve local bars that illegally over-served someone. That can make those bars liable under dram shop law, which only makes it more significant to consider those possibilities.
Secondly, folks generally assume motorcyclists are all reckless drivers whether or not the evidence says so. People are more likely to say they were speeding when evidence says they weren't, and authorities are more likely to say they were being reckless only for more thorough investigations to show otherwise. I myself have seen that very situation several times.
Whether it was alcohol, reckless driving, mechanical issues, tire blowouts, actions from the other driver, actions from another driver that left the scene, road hazards, or any other possible factor that led to this crash, getting answers means ensuring there are thorough accident reconstructions. Getting those answers is crucial for a family affected by such a devastating event, which is why waiting around for police reports simply may not be good enough.
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