Point Reyes Light - September 19, 2002

Third Biker dies in five weeks in West Marin

By Andrea Blum

A well-known San Francisco bar manager died on the Point Reyes-Petaluma Road, just east of Point Reyes Station on Monday.

Thirty-five-year-old Nicholas Colston Janes, bar manager of the Redwood Room at the famed Clift Hotel, at about 11:05 a.m. was riding westbound at high speeds about one mile from town, and lost control of his 748 yellow Ducati motorcycle slamming into a guard rail. He was traveling in excess of 75 miles per hour, the California Highway Patrol said.

Latest in series

Janes is just the latest in a series of serious and fatal motorcycle accidents that have cast a pall over area roads during the last few months.

In the last five weeks three motorcycle accidents in West Marin have resulted in fatalities and two have resulted in serious injuries, which required airlifts from the scene.

Of the latest accident, officials on the scene said the fatality was instant: "It appeared the driver took the corner to fast and collided with the guardrail," said County Fire Captain Joe Morandi.

Multiple traumatic injuries

"He died of multiple traumatic injuries," said Gary Erickson, a Coroner’s office investigator.

Though there were no witnesses to the accident, moments later Janes’ two friends, who were riding close behind him, came upon the scene.

"He came up over the hill and slid out," said his shocked friend Paul Feldkamp of San Francisco. "He was riding in front– he was more experienced. He’s been riding since he was a kid."

Justin Russell, a member of the Coast Guard who happened by in his car headed westbound rushed to give CPR to Janes. "He was incoherent when I got to him," said Russell.

Smart, funny, and professional

Paramedics arrived and continued administer CPR Fire officials said they administered Janes a round of drug therapy and did "everything they could" until it was apparent he was not coming back.

Clift Hotel general manager, Tim Miller told The Light on Wednesday "the news is harsh for all of us, he had a tremendous amount of friends– he was smart, funny, and a very professional guy who helped us open the Redwood Room. He was a big part of our success."

Other accidents

Other accidents that have occurred in the area over the last few weeks are:

• On Friday, Aug. 9, a motorcycle took a curve too fast near Millerton Point and slid into a guardrail. The man suffered cuts and "road burn" to his face due to wearing a half-shell helmet.

• On Sunday, Aug. 11, Pablo Traverso, 38, of Walnut Creek died after he lost control of his motorcycle and hit a Ford Ranger head on near Millerton Point.

• On Monday, Aug. 26, Willy Binsfield, 71, of Middletown, Lake County was airlifted to Santa Rosa Medical Hospital after he hit a VW Jetta head-on near Tomales on Highway 1.

• On Thursday, Aug. 29, Jean-Jacques Charmant, 22, of San Francisco was killed after he passed a car and clipped a mountain biker taking a left hand turn from Panoramic Highway onto Bayview Drive. Charmant lost control of his bike, slid into Eucalyptus tree, was airlifted to a hospital, and died two hours later.

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