Motorcyclist killed on Honeycutt Road; impairment suspected

A Maricopa man died shortly before 10 p.m. last night after his motorcycle rear-ended a moving vehicle on eastbound Honeycutt Road east of White and Parker Road.

 

Maricopa Police spokesman Ricky Alvardo said MPD received a call from Native Grill and Wings at 9:47 p.m. informing them an impaired man left the bar on his motorcycle. Minutes later, MPD received priority calls of a collision on Honeycutt Road.

 

“We arrived on scene and found the subject matching the description of the person they’d given us that left Native New Yorker had rear-ended a vehicle at a high rate of speed and actually was thrown off the motorcycle and landed in front of the vehicle,” Alvardo said.

 

Alvardo said James Hagan, a 48-year-old Tortosa homeowner, was pronounced dead at the scene. The woman driving the other vehicle was not injured. 

 

“We do suspect alcohol was a factor in this collision,” Alvardo said. 

 

Hagan was not wearing a helmet. Asked if it would have made a difference, Alvarado said “probably not.”

 

Hagan’s alleged actions prior to the accident corroborate his apparent impairment. 

 

Native Grill and Wings patrons and employees verbally – and physical – tried to stop him from leaving the bar prior to the accident, according to witnesses. 

 

“He was impaired when he showed up,” restaurant owner Pat Kieny said. 

 

Kieny said a witness saw Hagan almost hit another customer’s motorcycle and tip his own bike as he pulled into the parking lot. A confrontation with the other motorcycle owner ensued.

 

“We got him some water and stuff, and he was really belligerent,” Kieny said. “Then he decided he wanted to go. We told him no, that we’d call the police; and that’s what happened.”

 

Kieny said his staff offered him a free ride home and Hagan’s wife, who was there, said he had another ride option, too. 

 

One witness said Hagan was at the bar 15 to 20 minutes before leaving. 

 

“People were holding him, and then he just took off. He got on his bike and peeled out,” Kieny said. “(One) customer ran and got his car and tried to block him in with his car, but he got around it with the motorcycle.”

 

Kieny said the customer tried to follow Hagan “but he couldn’t catch up to him.”