Motorcycle Rider Arrested Over July 14th Crash Near Sweet Home

Witnesses say the bike made an illegal pass before the rider cranked a "wheelie" and lost control.

21-year old Tyler Hannen of Sweet Home, Oregon

(ALBANY, Ore.) - The rider of a motorcycle who lost control and crashed Saturday night one mile west of Sweet Home on Highway 228 was taken into custody by Oregon State Police upon release from a Lebanon-area hospital Tuesday. The female passenger remains in serious condition at a Eugene-area hospital.

Sergeant Craig Flierl with OSP says 21-year old Tyler Hannen of Sweet Home, was arrested Tuesday afternoon upon release from Lebanon Community Hospital where he had been treated for non-life threatening injuries since the crash three days ago.

Hannen is being lodged in Linn County Jail for Reckless Driving, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, and Assault in the Second Degree.

Oregon State Police say that on July 14th at approximately 4:50 PM, a 2004 Honda motorcycle operated by Hannen was westbound on Highway 228 near milepost 20.

According to witnesses, the motorcycle passed at least one vehicle in a no-passing zone on a curve. Upon returning to its lane, the motorcycle "popped a wheelie" lost control and crossed the eastbound lane where it crashed in a gravel driveway. Both people were thrown from the bike.

Hannen was wearing a protective helmet and received non-life threatening injuries. His passenger, 18-year old Ashley Bilyeu of Lebanon, was wearing a protective helmet and was seriously injured. She was transported by ground ambulance to Lebanon Community Hospital from where she was taken by air ambulance to Sacred Hearth Hospital in Eugene.

Oregon State Police troopers from the Albany Area Command office investigated the crash with the assistance of Linn County Sheriff's Office, Lebanon Police Department and Sweet Home Police Department. ODOT and Sweet Home Fire Department also assisted at the scene.