Bay State motorcyclist hurt in Route 1 crash

SEARSPORT – A Massachusetts man was injured when his motorcycle skidded out of control on a slick Route 1 on Sunday.

John Brien Kennally, 56, of Rochester, Mass., was taken by ambulance to Waldo County General Hospital with a back injury after the wreck. Kennally was wearing a crash helmet.

Searsport police Officer Mark Pooler said the accident occurred near the Weathervane of Maine store at approximately 1:15 p.m. Sunday.

Kennally was riding a 1993 Harley-Davidson Electric Glide Custom in the southbound lane when traffic slowed in front of him and he lost control of the bike. The bike fishtailed and landed on its side.

“I blame it on hot weather,” Pooler said. “The road is newly paved and there’s an awful lot of tar in that asphalt. It gets some greasy on a hot day.”

Kennally was riding with two friends from Quincy, Mass., one of whom is a firefighter. Kennally’s friend assisted him at the scene. Searsport Fire Chief David Dunbar was driving by at the time of the wreck and also assisted.

Kennally had received a broken back in a prior motorcycle accident, so he was taken to the hospital as a precaution, Pooler said. His injury did not appear to be serious.

Pooler also attributed the accident to the string of flea markets on that section of highway.

“Somebody slowed to pull into a flea market and that got everyone to slam on their brakes,” he said.