The investigation into Monday’s crash that left a motorcycle rider over the edge of the Marion Street Bridge and into the Willamette River below is continuing. Thus far, it appears as though the motorcycle rider, 73-year old William Chamberland Jr of Salem, was riding his 2012 Victory motorcycle westbound on the Marion Street Bridge and was attempting to change lanes from the right lane to the left lanes. As he was changing lanes, he collided with a van being driven by 55-year old Virgil Lee Evans III of Salem. Chamberland was being followed by his wife at the time of the incident, and she watched as he lost control of his motorcycle, struck the barrier on the south side of the bridge and was thrown over the south side of the bridge into the Willamette River below. 42-year old Matt Barnhart of Salem and his girlfriend had just launched their boat at Wallace Marine Park and were alerted to the fact that there was a victim in the water. Barnhart immediately responded in his boat and provided first aid to Chamberland until a Salem Fire Department rescue boat could arrive and help get Chamberland out of the water and to Salem Hospital. Chamberland was transported to Salem Hospital with potentially life threatening injuries both from the crash as well as being in the water. There are no updates currently on his medical condition. The driver of the van remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation. No citations have been issued thus far, and the investigation is continuing.
