Published: June 02, 2008 11:55 pm         

Police to probe fatal motorcycle wreck

TERRE HAUTE — Indiana State Police will reconstruct a Friday accident that killed a Brazil man who was thrown from his motorcycle after a two-vehicle collision in front of the Brazil National Guard Armory.

Funeral services for Patrick J. Knierim, 63, are at 11 a.m. today in Moore Funeral Home in Brazil, with burial in Restlawn Cemetery.

Brazil Police Capt. Dale Archer said Knierim was struck from behind by a 2007 Chevrolet Impala, registered to the federal government and driven by Jeffrey Rosado of Terre Haute, who Archer said is a U.S. Navy recruiter.

Knierim was wearing a helmet when the accident occurred about 3:30 p.m. on Indiana 59, near the intersection of Whiterock Road. Knierim was pronounced dead at St. Vincent Clay Hospital in Brazil.

Archer said no tickets have been issued.

“We believe that both vehicles were going 60 mph before the accident. I don’t know if the car was one car length or eight car lengths behind, but we do know when [Rosado] got the attention that the motorcycle was braking, there was no time” to avoid a collision, Archer said.

“Witnesses said the motorcycle braked hard in front of [Rosado], but we don’t know how close it was,” Archer said.

The state highway has a posted speed limit of 50 mph, Archer said, near the scene of the accident. Archer said a computer program from a state crash reconstruction officer at the scene gave a preliminary indication that both vehicles were likely going 60 mph. The state has not completed its reconstruction of the accident, Archer said.

An autopsy was to be performed, but Archer did not know of any results Monday.

Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com