Posted on May 01, 2012

A serious Wisconsin motorcycle crash between an intoxicated rider and a deer in the road has left the motorcyclist with critical injuries.

On Saturday, April 7, Lyle Muszynski was traveling westbound on West Highway 81 near the town of Avon in Rock County, Wisconsin, on the southern edge of the state. Muszynski, 47, is a resident of Janesville. Around 2:15 a.m., his 2000 Yamaha motorcycle struck a deer that was crossing the road in the vicinity of South Nelson Road.

Muszynski was thrown from his motorcycle into the westbound traffic lane of the highway, according to the sheriff’s deputies on the scene.

The Rock County Sheriff’s Office and Orfordville Fire and EMS responded to the scene of the accident. React Helicopter took Muszynski, who had sustained severe head injuries, to Rockford Memorial Hospital in Illinois. He was admitted to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit in critical condition.

Muszynski was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, fourth offense. Deputies say that speed does not appear to have been a factor in the accident.

Our staff and personal injury attorneys in Appleton send our best wishes to Mr. Muszynski for a speedy and complete recovery from his injuries.

We’d also like to take this incident as a reminder that wildlife is a frequent hazard on Wisconsin’s highways. Animals, debris, and broken pavement pose a greater challenge to safe driving for motorcycles than for four-wheeled vehicles. For their own safety and that of others, riders need to be wary of anything unusual in the road, especially at night. This becomes yet one more reason not to drink and drive.