“Tragic Motorcycle Crash Near Dead Man’s Curve Claims Life of 19-Year-Old”
The Cleveland Division of Police is investigating a tragic motorcycle crash that resulted in the death of 19-year-old Ryleigh Schmitz on Friday night.
Around 10:15 p.m., Schmitz was riding her motorcycle on Route 2 when she attempted to merge onto I-90 West near Dead Man’s Curve. Police report that she drove through the painted gore and collided with a semi-tractor trailer.
Kayden Paserk, who was leading a group of bikers that included Schmitz, recounted the moments leading up to the accident. “At one point, I turned to look behind me and saw no one,” Paserk told News 5. “That was odd; you should see one or two other people accelerating with us.” After realizing something was wrong, Paserk and his friends slowed down and stopped on the side of the highway, witnessing the semi-truck pass by and drag Schmitz’s bike.
Schmitz was pronounced dead at the scene. Paserk expressed his devastation over the loss of his close friend. “She was just always a happy person… she wanted to be your friend and get to know you,” he said.
Arthur Oravec, another close friend of Schmitz, shared his grief, stating, “She was caring, fun to be around, fun to ride with—just a great person. There was never a bad day with her.”
The driver of the semi-tractor trailer was not injured in the incident, and the cause of the crash is still under investigation.
