Few accidents, injuries start Motorcycle Week

LACONIA — Two riders from Massachusetts had a consequential Saturday night, crashing motorcycles which police allege they should not have been operating in the first place.

Police Chief Matt Canfield said an officer was patroling Route 3, between The Weirs and Meredith, when they spotted a pair of motorcycles operating allegedly in excess of 70 miles per hour in a 40 mile per hour zone.

Before the officer could catch up with them, though, the motorcyclists ended their speed run the old-fashioned way — they crashed, at around 11:40 p.m., in the vicinity of Brickyard Cedar Lodge.

Canfield said neither rider was licensed to operate a motorcycle, and one of them didn’t have a license to operate any kind of motor vehicle.

One motorcyclist, Scott Kinuthia, 21, of Weymouth, Massachusetts, suffered a broken wrist and was transported to Concord Hospital-Laconia by police car. He was charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, disobeying an officer, misuse of plates and operating the motorcycle without a valid license.

Sean McCanley, 25 and also of Weymouth, was charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, disobeying an officer, misuse of plates and operating a motorcycle without the proper endorsement.

Earlier on Saturday, police had received a report of a motorcycle striking a pedestrian at Weirs Beach. However, Canfield said, a responding officer arrived at the scene to find both the vehicle operator and supposed victim had already left the area.

At around noon on Monday, a two-wheeler of a different kind had a crash. Canfield said a cyclist aboard an e-bike was descending Hill Street in Lakeport when the bike collided with a guardrail. The rider was launched over the rail and down the embankment, suffering what he called “serious injuries” and requiring transport to Concord Hospital-Laconia.

For the first few days of Motorcycle Week, Canfield said it’s been calm.

“There were some significant crowds for the first weekend. As far as police activity, it was relatively quiet,” Canfield said. “We did have some arrests, but nothing significant, and we didn’t see any serious motor vehicle accidents, which is a good thing.”