Motorcyclist’s condition improving following accident
A motorcyclist is improving at the hospital after he recently rear-ended another motorcycle.
Douglas Charles Westpfahl, 63, of Sterling Heights, Mich., was listed in fair condition on Tuesday at Lee Memorial Hospital, where he was taken Jan. 18 following the accident on Pine Island Road.
According to the Cape Coral police, Westpfahl was traveling east on Pine Island in the outside lane on a Harley Davidson. He was several car lengths behind an eastbound pack of motorcycles.
Witnesses reported that they were driving in the inside lane when the pack passed them on their right. After the pack passed, it shifted to the inside lane. Westpfahl followed suit, shifting lanes, and came up behind the rear of the last rider in the pack, Victor Earl Mastrogiovanni, 45, of 2204 N.E. 25th Terrace.
At about 6:45 p.m., Westpfahl reportedly braked hard and hit the back of Mastrogiovanni’s motorcycle in the 2600 block. The impact caused both motorcycles to go down, and both drivers were ejected.
Westpfahl sustained several life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to the hospital, police reported. Mastrogiovanni sustained minor injuries and was trauma-alerted via ambulance to Lee Memorial.
Mastrogiovanni has since been treated and released, according to hospital officials.
A report states that Westpfahl’s BAC was 0.176 at the time of the crash.
Police reported Tuesday that the investigation is ongoing and criminal charges are pending.
“It will likely be several weeks still,” Sgt. Dana Coston, of the CCPD, said.