Domestic Animals a Danger for Wisconsin Bikers

Last Saturday at 1:45 p.m., 42-year-old Matthew Kollath, of Horicon, was traveling westbound on Bowers Lake Road, east of County Highway KK in the Town of Lima with a large group of motorcyclists who were participating in the Wisconsin State Firefighters Memorial Ride for Remembrance. As Kollath was negotiating a curve on his 1989 Harley-Davidson, a black Labrador retriever ran into his path. Kollath was unable to stop or avoid the dog, and struck it. Losing control, Kollath was ejected from his bike and fell on the pavement. He sustained head injuries and road rash to his right side. The dog was also injured.

Deputies from the Rock County Sheriff's Office and Whitewater Fire/EMS and Janesville Paramedics were dispatched to the scene. As a precaution, a Flight-for-Life helicopter was requested to airlift Kollath to Froedert Hospital in Milwaukee, according to an NBC15.com dispatch.

Speed and alcohol did not contribute to the crash, while it was communicated that the motorcyclist did not wear a helmet at the time of the accident.

18-year-old Steven Gilder, the owner of the Labrador, received a pending a citation for dog running at large.

In a separate accident the day before, reported by WSAU.com, a motorcyclist was killed when he hit a horse. The accident occurred around 4:45 a.m. on Highway 97 near Kaiser Road in the Town of Eau Pleine. Witnesses said there were three or four horses on the road when the accident happened. The victim was a 61-year-old man from the Stratford area. His name has not been released.

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