Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
By Jackie Valley (contact) 
Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012 | 10:31 a.m.
Motorcycle, car collide
A 19-year-old woman riding a motorcycle died Tuesday night after colliding with a car on Green Valley Parkway, Henderson Police said.
The Clark County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim as Destani-Emily Maria Jorgensen, who was a Henderson resident. Her official cause and manner of death have not been determined.
Police said the accident happened at 6:50 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Green Valley Parkway and Sunset Road.
A preliminary investigation indicates Jorgensen was driving a 2011 Yamaha V-Star motorcycle south on Green Valley Parkway. As she approached the intersection with Sunset Road, a 2003 PT Cruiser, driven by 64-year-old Dwight Welton, heading north on Green Valley Parkway made a left turn into the path of the motorcycle, police said.
Jorgensen was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center’s trauma unit, where she later died from her injuries. Police said Jorgensen was wearing a helmet.
Welton, who was not injured, voluntarily submitted to a blood test, but police said he did not appear intoxicated from drugs or alcohol. Police do not believe speed was a factor either.
This marks the 15th death related to a traffic accident this year in Henderson.
Comment removed by moderator. Inappropriate
19, on a motorcycle, in this town? When will cyclists learn? Sell it and buy a car. When you finally leave Las Vegas for Beatty or St. George, maybe Ely you can take up the passion again. Not here, not now. It's a death wish riding in this city. Sooner or later it's going to bite you. Tragic, 19 years old.
Dear Tom.
Your going to tell me a 19 year old licensed female is at fault for choosing to ride a motorcycle as opposed to a 64 year old man who chose not to make sure the road was clear before turning in to her path? It is her fault? I say NO! People need to watch for others on the road whether it be a motorcycle, a bicycle or a pedestrian. Do not point fingers at this young rider!
It is tragic. That I will agree with you, for the young lady, her family and the man who killed her. God bless them all.
@Sfrgrl
I made no such claim about fault. It was the other drivers fault, which is my point. Motorcyclists are like birds waiting to go extinct because of all the horrendous car/truck drivers on the road in Vegas who are simply put...bad drivers. I wouldn't ride a motorcycle in this town 18 to 95 years old. There are just too many bad drivers. It's tragic that at 19 her life has been snuffed out. Longevity has its place in life. There's no passion I'm going to engage in that makes me a target for death...that's my feeling on riding in this city. I'd bungie jump with a rubber band off the stratosphere before I'd get on a bike here.
I think the rubber band would be safer!
I thank you you for clarifying you statement. But I do stand firm that motorist must be accountable for their actions. Motorcycles and their riders should be not be singled out as a hazard. This was an incredibly smart, beautiful and full of life young lady. Who needed an economical form of transportation. Yes, I know her! Her family and many of her friends. It is a tragic loss.
I understand many motorcyclists can be careless and dangerous. But the overall majority are not. I hope people open their eyes and look around before another life is lost.
Left-turn-yield lights should be abandoned for arrow-only turns.
James - Red lights are the leading cause of rear end accidents. Two accidents involving motorcycles at Sahara/Grand Canyon in the past year were caused by inattentive drivers plowing into stopped motorcycles at a red light that held unnecessarily long for red turn arrows when no vehicle was there. One motorcyclist died while another was in critical condition. It took these accidents for the county to fix it even though there are still many accidents at that intersection. An unnecessary red turn arrow is not the solution and only causes a longer red light delay on the main road which in turn causes more rear end accidents which can be just as deadly. The solution is for people to actually yield when they are suppose to instead of not paying attention or not caring.
@Sfrgrl
My condolences. Losing a friend so young is tragic. Again, I was not placing any blame on her for this accident. It was not her fault. While there are some reckless riders in this town, my main pause for concern are the careless and just plain bad car drivers in Vegas. Motorcyclists are in danger here.
"Left-turn-yield lights should be abandoned for arrow-only turns."
Ridiculous. Travel times and traffic jams would be horrendous, and even more accidents would occur as a result of the increased frustration with the roads. Let's all just learn how to drive better, starting with the old folks. Anyone over 55 should face an annual driving test to keep their license. Old people with crappy response times and driving skills driving equals more damage on the roads.
old people shouldn't drive.
Moogooetc and tom duh. So ban old people from the road, make them take a yearly test. Seems to me the so called youngsters are the ones texting or talking on the phone while driving fast cutting in and out of lanes not signalling speeding up to get through that yellow light because its cool to have an attitude. Of course there are bad old drivers.But I can only say you two must be very limited in your driving experience to make such a broad statement like that.
This was a girlfriend of a close friend of mine. Please keep comments to condolences. It's a sad time for his coworkers and him. Thanks.
Hi Billy, on the contrary -- I'm extremely passionate about good and efficient driving, and am very aware of others' behavior on the road. Sure, there are tons of young people who drive like morons. They're full of piss and vinegar, and are way too aggressive because it makes them feel "cool." But the difference is that these younger drivers have markedly better reactions than older drivers, whose physical problems can also include decreased vision, depth perception and spatial reasoning, and increased risk of having medical episodes while driving. Not to mention the fact that many old people are dependent on prescription drugs that can further diminish their ability to drive.
Nine times out of 10, whenever I encounter a vehicle that is driving dangerously incompatibly with the flow of traffic (i.e. traveling at very low speeds in fast, steady traffic; drifting into adjacent lanes; frequently tapping the brakes for no reason) it's an old person driving.
AARP is probably the most powerful lobby group in the USA. The chances of passing a law to retest people at 55 and over is never going to happen.
My experience has been that the most aggressive/tailgating drivers are young girls. They have their seats set all the way up to the steering wheel and just love to tailgate. Like speed racer.
My condolences to the friends and family of the victim.
I saw a motorcyclist have to dump his bike in order to avoid colliding with a car once. Thankfully he was able to escape serious injury. It was the driver of the SUV who pulled out in front of him. He just didn't see the biker. He wasn't looking for bikes, he was looking for cars.
With more people choosing scooters and motorcycles because of gas prices, those of us who drive cars are just going to have to be more observant.
The driver should be cited for wreckless driving, For cutting into the path of the motorcycle.