Napa High teen killed on Lincoln Ave.
Saturday, June 12, 2004

By MARSHA DORGAN
Register Staff Writer

A Napa teen died Friday morning when his brand new motorcycle plowed into a car on Lincoln Avenue, impaling the driver's side of the car.

The 16-year-old victim was identified as Napa High School student Nicholas Gruenhagen.

The driver of the Lincoln Town Car that collided with the bike, Analee Chambless of Napa, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Queen of the Valley Hospital, Sgt. John Kostelac said. Chambless lives in Napa.

"At this time, her injuries do not appear to be life threatening," Kostelac said on Friday afternoon. He added that Chambless, 69, suffered multiple lacerations on her face, wrist and upper torso.

The crash happened on Lincoln Avenue just east of Marin Street.

The impact of the crash pressed the Honda 600 F4 I motorcycle into the driver's seat and back door of the silver sedan. The bike still had the paper license plates of a new purchase on it.

Gruenhagen was thrown onto the hood of the car, where paramedics worked feverishly, administering first aid. Family members reached later in the day declined comment.

Chambless had to be removed through the passenger side of the car. As the ambulance rushed her to the emergency room, her purse and one shoe were left on the roadway next to the Town Car.

As of Friday afternoon, investigators were still trying to piece together what lead up to the fatality.

"All we know so far is that the motorcycle was eastbound on Lincoln Avenue from California Boulevard, and the driver of the sedan was leaving a business on Lincoln Avenue," Kostelac said. "We're not sure where her car was when the accident happened."

Lincoln Avenue was closed for a period as officers waited for the major traffic collision investigation team to get on scene.

"The motorcycle is still embedded into the side of the car," Kostelac said. "The team needs to take measurements before it can be removed."

The crash caused a traffic jam, and cars were re-routed around the crash scene from Lincoln Avenue to the neighboring residential streets.

This is the 13th fatal accident in Napa County this year, the second in Napa.

On Jan. 3, Darrell Dean Douglas, 57, of Napa was hit by a Napa teen driver as Douglas crossed in the middle of Soscol Avenue near Lincoln Avenue. Douglas, who was using a walker, was accompanied by a relative, police said. He died the next day at Queen of the Valley Hospital.

The teenage boy driving the car was not cited.

 

16 yo on an F4i ??? Parents should be jailed.

That's my old bike...same color too

 

woah....crazy! Yeah i agree a 16 year old is a no no! Atleast on a bike with that much power

 

He sure had a pretty impressive impact for driving in a "school zone". Jeezus.

 

... and yet more evidence for my "I should never buy a bike" theory...

I just know I would kill myself. What were this kids parent's thinking? At what point did they think giving a kid that much bike was a good idea?



Helmet? No helmet? The article didn't say...

 

man. I'm 17 and no f-ing way am I strapping myself to a bike with more than 250cc. Been on a Ninja once, and shat myself(not really) but it was ***** fast

 

Looking at that impact, I'm surprised he landed on the hood.

 

He landed on the hood after he flew 50 ft. straight up in the air...

 

he must've been going REALLY fast.

 

the car pulled out in front of him, you can see the screech mark it wasnt very long which meant that she must have pulled right in front of him, it happened in my area, i didnt know him personally but my friends brother was his best friend he was coming home one day and a car pulled right in front of him and the same thing happened. it is stupid to give a new driver a bike like that but i do think it was the cars falt because she was an older lady and they arent as good of drivers as they used to be. he was most lily going over the speed limit but i dont think it was all his falt.

 

that's pretty intense. He had to be flying to create such an impact and the fact he landed on the hood says that his body took a lot of the force directly on the car.

Lots of things wrong right there. He was clearly speeding. And that old lady probably pulled out without looking and got half way across the street crawling and realized that she had to wait for traffic coming the other way and stopped in the middle of the dang road. (Seen it happen way to often)

Sad..sad. Bikes are dangerous enough. Kids on bikes is just bad news waiting to happen. My dad is a school teacher. In one week two of his kids got hit and injured. One dead. One lost his foot.

 

I have been riding for quite some time now and I don't think I'll ever give it up even though I've already been down. I agree that it probably wasn't a good idea and a bit irresponsible for a 16 year old to get a brand new F4i, but I don't think the OWN3D title for this thread is appropriate...the kid just died and a family is without a son. I'm sorry if I sound harsh but if I were this kid's family or friend and saw this thread I would be offended. Hold off on the OWN3D title at least until they find out what caused the accident. The article says there aren't many details, for all we know it could have been the drivers fault and not the kid's fault. For all we know he could have been doing everything right...for all we know he could have been the most responsible rider that the world has ever seen.

sorry about the rant...I'm just sorry to see another rider down

 

That's why I sold mine. I didn't have the self control necessary to keep it safe. 0-60 in <3 seconds is just too insane. 0-100 in <6 is even better! After seeing my best friend nearly head on a car I realized it was just a matter of time that I killed myself.

I went from a Ninja250 (took the advice to get a small bike, hated it), to a Katana600 (waaaay too heavy for a new rider), to an F4. I'll get another one someday, but will probably mostly track it.

 

i do have to agree, i think u should hold the own3d title for now.

 

I agree that the title is no good. I'd say owned if the kid was alright. but not with these circumstances.