LAKEPORT – Supervisor Anthony Farrington is recuperating following a Sunday collision that has left him with broken bones and other injuries.
As Lake County News first reported Monday, Farrington, 37, was injured in the collision in the Cow Mountain off-highway recreation area.
California Highway Patrol Officer Adam Garcia reported Monday that the collision occurred at about 5 p.m. when Farrington, riding a 2006 Yamaha YZ450 dirt bike, collided with a four-wheel-drive Ford pickup on a blind curve. Information on the pickup's driver was not available.
Garcia explained that Farrington tried to avoid the accident but slid into the front left of the pickup.
On Monday Farrington told Lake County News that he and his uncle decided to take their dirt bikes out for a few hours Sunday.
They decided to head home, with Farrington leading the way down the hill; he estimated he was traveling between 25 and 30 miles per hour. The ground, he said, was still wet following recent rains.
As they made their way around a blind curve, Farrington said he saw the Ford F-150 pickup – going between 10 and 15 miles per hour – coming around the corner in the middle of the road.
Farrington said he hit the brakes, which locked up on the wet ground and caused the bike to accelerate into the oncoming truck.
“I hit them head on,” said Farrington.
His body hit the truck's left front fender and, along with his bike, was thrown into the dirt embankment.
The pickup driver took Farrington down the hill, which he estimated took a half hour, as his uncle followed in another vehicle. From there, Farrington – nearly in shock – was driven to Sutter Lakeside's emergency room, arriving at about 5:30 p.m.
Farrington said he spent about five hours at the hospital, undergoing x-rays and examinations. He suffered a fractured and dislocated right shoulder, and also suffered injuries to his left wrist, left hip, pelvis, right femur and right hand.
X-rays showed that his hip and pelvis aren't broken but Farrington said he can barely walk and is in a lot of pain.
Fortunately, Farrington said he was wearing full riding gear, including a full face helmet and body protection. Without the helmet, Farrington said he's sure he would have died, as there was a large chunk taken out of the back of the helmet.
“The doctor and CHP officer said I was really lucky,” he said.
Farrington added that he feels he was blessed because he was not more critically hurt in the accident, which he said was the “wrong place, wrong time for both of us.”
Still in a lot of pain and bedridden, Farrington said he isn't going to be moving around much for a little while.
“I'm obviously not going to be at the board meeting,” he added, which is scheduled for today.
Farrington said he'll be seeing an orthopedic surgeon soon to get a sense of the extent of his other injuries.
Garcia reported that the investigation is still in progress, led by CHP Officer Dallas Richey.
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