Motorcyclist remains in hospital following accident
A motorcyclist remained hospitalized Tuesday after rear-ending a second motorcycle.
Douglas Charles Westpfahl, 63, of Sterling Heights, Mich., was listed in critical condition at Lee Memorial Hospital, where he was taken Sunday following the accident on Pine Island Road.
According to Cape Coral police, Westpfahl was traveling east on Pine Island in the outside lane on a Harley Davidson. He was several car lengths behind an eastbound pack of motorcycles.
Witnesses reported that they were driving in the inside lane when the pack passed them on the right. After the pack passed, it shifted to the inside lane. Westpfahl did the same, changing to the inside lane, and approached the rear of the rear rider in the pack, Victor Earl Mastrogiovanni, 45, of Cape Coral.
At about 6:45 p.m., Westpfahl reportedly braked hard and hit the back of Mastrogiovanni’s motorcycle in the 2600 block. The impact caused both motorcycles to go down, and both drivers were ejected.
Westpfahl sustained several life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to the hospital, police reported. Mastrogiovanni sustained minor injuries and was trauma-alerted via ambulance to Lee Memorial.
Hospital officials reported Tuesday that Mastrogiovanni had been treated and released.
The crash is alcohol related, according to police. Criminal charges are pending.