South Dakota public safety officials say there have been two fatal crashes at the 85th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which began on Friday and will end on Sunday.
From 6 a.m. local time Saturday to 6 a.m. Tuesday, rally attendees were involved in nine non-injury accidents in Sturgis or near Rapid City, South Dakota, as well as 35 crashes that resulted in injuries. The South Dakota Department of Public Safety reported that two of the crashes occurred in the Rapid City District and were fatal.
The first fatal crash occurred Saturday morning, when a 58-year-old man driving westbound on a motorcycle on U.S. Highway 16 tipped over while attempting to navigate a curve in the road. His motorcycle slid into the eastbound lanes and collided with three other motorcycles, killing the 58-year-old man, who was not identified by South Dakota officials.
The remaining three motorists were seriously injured but are expected to survive. Investigators were trying to determine whether the four people involved were wearing helmets. According to Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based KELO-TV, there were 18 crashes just between Saturday and Sunday.
The second fatal crash occurred on US 16. On Monday afternoon, a 60-year-old man driving westbound attempted to navigate a sharp corner when his motorcycle scraped the road and slid out.
The motorcycle crossed the center line into the eastbound lanes, colliding with two other motorcycles and landing in a ditch. The 60-year-old man died from his injuries, while his female passenger sustained life-threatening injuries and was airlifted for treatment. The remaining two drivers were also taken to a hospital for treatment.
South Dakota officials said none of the four people involved in Monday’s crash were wearing helmets. The South Dakota Department of Public Safety did not identify either of the two killed or the people injured in the two fatal crashes.
In addition to the crashes, as of Tuesday morning, South Dakota authorities had arrested 53 people for driving under the influence, 102 for misdemeanor drug offenses, and 46 for felony drug offenses related to the rally.
This year’s 85th rally sees increased overall traffic. According to South Dakota Department of Transportation data, 247,901 vehicles entered Sturgis during the first four days of the rally, an increase of 10.5% over the average between 2020 and 2024.
