Editor's Note: Route 50 opened back up around 6:35 p.m. Friday. Accident reconstruction experts were used to help determine the cause of the accident.

 

Multiple units from the Bridgeport Fire and Police Departments responded to the scene of an afternoon wreck along West Main Street (U.S. Route 50) involving a motorcycle and a mid-sized sports utility vehicle. The accident has shut down that section of U.S. Route 50, according to City Clerk Andrea Kerr.

 

Police and Fire officials were busy on the scene trying to help an injured individual, investigating the accident scene and re-routing traffic that was beginning to back up substantially. Bridgeport EMS took the driver via ambulance for treatment. The driver of the motorcycle was being loaded the back of the Bridgeport ambulance shortly after the call went out on the Harrison County 911 log at 2:44 p.m.

 

Fire Chief Robert “Bob” Seccuro said that driver of the motorcycle was the only transport. He did not know if the injuries were life threatening, but did say they were serious.

 

“The injuries were serious enough that we need to have the patient flown from the (North Central West Virginia) Airport to Ruby (Memorial),” said Seccuro.

 

As for details, they remain sketchy. However, a Harley Davidson motorcycle collided with a Toyota sports utility vehicle. Two additional eyewitnesses said the motorcycle was coming down U.S. Route 50 East and the SUV was departing the parking lot that handles traffic for McDonald’s and Pizza Hut. Bridgeport Police will have an official report on what transpired and will be handling the investigation.

 

The SUV was in a ditch just off of Route 50 below the Home Depot Plaza on the westbound side of Main Street. However, individuals at the scene said the driver of the SUV jumped out to help the individual struck and the vehicle wasn’t in park and rolled into the ditch. Debris from the motorcycle was spread across that section of U.S. Route 50.

 

According to Kerr, both east and westbound lanes in front of McDonald’s are closed. Kerr’s release, which was followed by a release from the Police Department, said motorists can expect it to be closed for the next three hours, which would be roughly 6:30 p.m. Traffic is being redirected at the Lodgeville intersection and Twin Oaks. City officials are asking motorists to use another route if you usually travel in those directions.

 

More details will be made available at a later date if and when they become available on Connect-Bridgeport.com.