By Nita Johnson
Staff Writer
LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. —
Traffic was slowed and re-routed off the shoulder of west Ky. 80 Sunday afternoon as emergency workers responded to a motorcycle v. vehicle accident in which the motorcyclists were flown to a Lexington hospital.
According to a press release, the driver of the motorcycle, Larry Armfield of Willie Green Road in London, who celebrated his 51st birthday the day prior, was flown to the University of Kentucky Medical Center for possible shoulder and rib injuries. His passenger, Tena Armfield, 44, also of Willie Green Road in London, was flown from the accident scene for a possible head injury.
Larry Armfield told police he was traveling east toward London when a vehicle pulled out from LaAzteca Mexican Restaurant into his lane. Armfield said he swerved to avoid hitting the white Dodge Nitro and lost control of the motorcycle.
The driver of the Nitro, Blake Rojas, 18, of Manchester, said he did see the motorcycle when he pulled from the parking lot onto the roadway and only realized the motorcycle was behind him when he heard the motorcycle crash. Several witnesses said Rojas pulled out in front of the motorcycle although the investigation into the accident revealed the motorcycle did not hit the Nitro.
Larry Armfield was taken to Saint Joseph London and then flown to UK Medical Center.
Assisting at the scene were London Police officers Jordan Hopkins, Jacob Bormann, Justin Roby, and Justin Hopkins and Sgt. Travis Hurley.
njohnson@sentinel-echo.com
