BANGOR, Maine — Delis Lane of Orono was pronounced dead at the scene after apparently losing control of his motorcycle and being ejected onto the breakdown lane of Interstate 95 late Friday night/early Saturday morning.
The 58-year-old Orono resident was merging onto I-95 north from I-395 just after 1 a.m. Saturday when he began to lose control of his 2004 Yamaha motorcycle on the looping onramp.
“He lost control at the end of the ramp, went over to the left shoulder and over the curb, and across the grass,” said Maine State Trooper Darren Vittum, who was the first responder to the accident about three minutes after the emergency call came in. “He was on the median when he was ejected onto the roadway in the breakdown lane.”
Vittum said speed, alcohol and driver inattention were contributors to the accident. Vittum said head injuries were the likely cause of death, as Lane was wearing a protective leather jacket and pants but not a helmet, but an autopsy will be performed on him this week to confirm cause of death.
“Bangor Rescue responded and CPR was performed, but he was pronounced dead at the scene,” said Vittum.
Motorcycles are dangerous.
Dear God, please look after your newest soul and Bless his family and Friends. Amen.
Alcohol was dangerous in this situation, not the motorcycle.
Thats terrible! May he rest in peace
R.I.P. — GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY —
It could have been anything, such as dirt, sand, gravel pebbles, grease on the looping road or an animal standing on the ramp or darting out in front of him. Perhaps a mechanical malfunction with the motorcycle. Or just unfamiliarity with the turn. It was dark and there’s no mention of witnesses. I’m by no means an advocate of driving anything while under the influence and I also know that alcohol is responsible for so many accidents and so much untold misery and while alcohol certainly may have been a factor here sometimes it’s just easier to blame the alcohol while there could be other factors. May he rest in peace.
There are ALWAYS other factors present every time we drive anything, especially a motorcycle at night. But many of those other factors become unmanageable when someone hinders their ability to cope with them by drinking alcohol before driving. Then, when you choose to not protect the most important and vulnerable part of your anatomy, the result is predictable. Sad.
RIP and Godspeed Delis Lane. I have been riding over 40 years and all it takes is a second. Most accidents involving a bike is due to an automobile. The trooper said he was waiting for an autopsy however because he was so smart, he know what happened before the report. I’ll reserve judgement.
The trooper only said he’ll wait to see if the lack of the helmet was the cause of death.
Please don’t use this tragedy to twist it into a ‘stupid cop’ story……
You truly should’ve “reserved judgment”.
Vittum said speed, alcohol and driver inattention were contributors to
the accident. Vittum said head injuries were the likely cause of death,
as Lane was wearing a protective leather jacket and pants but not a
helmet, but an autopsy will be performed on him this week to confirm
cause of death.
did you not see drinking was the cause here??
I saw that’s what the trooper said, yes.
i believe the trooper
Mr. Lane was my neighbor. I can assure you he was not leaving Barnaby’s.
helmets work
Wearing a helmet does not guarantee you’ll save your life in an accident. In some cases the helmet has caused neck injuries in an accident and the rider would have been better off not wearing a helmet. If you’re in a state without a helmet law, it’s your decision. I live in a no helmet law state and choose to ride without a helmet, but that’s my decision.
I have heard this argument about seat belts as well – “well, if I had been wearing one, I would have been killed.” Yes, a helmet can cause neck injuries, but who is to really say that the rider would have been better off without one? Who is to say that instead of a spinal cord injury he wouldn’t have ended up with a partial skull? The fact is, helmets and seat belts are far more likely to prevent death and severe injury than cause them.
I’m one of those persons who would have died if wearing a helmet that day I crashed my motorcycle, no helmet saved my life the DR’s said I would have died. Broken neck in two places and two broken arms but ok now.
Glad you’re ok! Are you still riding?
no there is no guarantee, but it increases your chance of survival .
God be with him and his family during this terrible tragedy.
Lets all please remember, while there are snyde remarks being tossed around, and judgments being passed, a family is trying to cope with this loss, and a little human compassion is what should be expressed.
We are all human, make mistakes, and make not so good decisions. I know I am not perfect by far. My thoughts are with you Lane family.
Thank you for your Respect, Delis was a great man and very much loved, He was the best step father anyone could have ever asked for….
Delis was a wonderful man and yes Alchal and Motorcycle’s are dangerous….. May you Rest in peace delis You was the best Step father i could have ever asked for……
Rest in peace Delis, You are greatly missed i love you as well as the rest of the family, You was the best Stepfather i could have ever asked for…… And yes motorcycles as well as alchol is a dangerous mixture nobody should be drinking and driveing either you loose your life or someone else looses there’s… and it’s not an easy thing for any family to deal with…. REST IN PEACE DELIS LANE YOUR DEARLY MISSED AND LOVED FOREVER…
My condolences to the family….as for the rest: wear a helmet for God’s sake & of course do NOT drink & drive or you could end up leaving grief behind you.