Police lights.
Two fatal motorcycle accidents occurred in Delaware County over Labor Day weekend, claiming the lives of riders in separate crashes less than 24 hours apart.
The first incident happened Saturday afternoon, Aug. 30, on Route 1 northbound near the Painters Crossing Condominiums in Chadds Ford.
Troopers from the Pennsylvania State Police Media station said a Harley Davidson motorcycle carrying Brad Rhoades, 52, and his wife, Amy Rhoades, 47, both of Coatesville, collided with a FedEx delivery van shortly before 1:45 p.m.
Investigators said the van driver was attempting to cross the northbound lanes of Route 1 to head south when he failed to see the oncoming motorcycle. The motorcycle struck the driver’s side of the van, spinning the vehicle around into the northbound lanes.
Brad Rhoades was pronounced dead at the scene by members of the Concordville Fire Company. Amy Rhoades suffered extensive injuries and was airlifted to Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia. The van driver, who was not injured, remained on scene and cooperated with investigators. Multiple witnesses were interviewed, and the crash remains under investigation. All lanes of Route 1 were reopened around 5:15 p.m.
The second crash occurred just hours later, in the early morning of Sunday, Aug. 31, on Interstate 95 southbound at mile marker 11.0 in Tinicum Township. Troopers said a motorcycle driven by 34-year-old Athanasios Pilios struck the rear corner of a box truck at a high rate of speed around 3:48 a.m.
Pilios was found unconscious in the center lane and was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS personnel. The box truck driver and witnesses stopped and cooperated with the investigation. The highway was closed for several hours before reopening at approximately 6 a.m.
Both crashes remain under investigation by Pennsylvania State Police.
