r/BerksCounty • u/Thin-Stranger1369 • 13d ago
Oley please help
Hello, Berks community. On Saturday, August 15 at around 8:00 AM, I was run off the road while riding my Vespa by a man driving a red pickup truck. He appeared to be in his mid-60s, was white, and was wearing thick-rimmed glasses.
Unfortunately, I broke my leg in two places as a result of the crash.
This is my second post about the incident, and I just want to clear up a few things after getting some ridiculous questions on the first one: Yes, I have a motorcycle license. Yes, the Vespa was registered and insured. Everything was completely legal.
I’m posting because I’m hoping someone may have seen the truck or witnessed what happened. If you could please repost and share this, I would really appreciate it. The more people who see it, the better chance we have of finding someone who knows something.
Thank you, everyone.
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u/ChimmyChongaBonga 13d ago
Do you have any additional details of the truck? I live in Oley and will keep an eye out.
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u/Thin-Stranger1369 13d ago
I got a great side view can even identify the man, but I was down by the time the truck was passing me
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u/ChimmyChongaBonga 13d ago
Understandable, I hope your recovery goes well. Ill keep an eye out when I'm out walking.
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u/Montag_451 13d ago
Did you file a police report?
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u/Thin-Stranger1369 13d ago
Yes
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u/Montag_451 13d ago
I am so sorry this happened to you, heal quickly. Not that the police will help but it's recorded.
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u/AppliedPsionics9k 13d ago
fellow Vespa rider & PA resident here, sending well wishes for a speedy recovery 🛵❤️🩹
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u/CrzyDave 13d ago
I’m so sorry this happened to you.
This happened to me a long time ago in Elverson (southern Berks part). A landscaping truck and trailer were in my lane coming around a blind corner. They ran me off the rode on my little Honda CB125S. I broke my ankle in three places and got really bad road rash. Of course they didn’t stop.
I wish you the best with your recovery and finding the culprit.
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u/Cards_and_NFTs 13d ago
Hey man, I am a personal injury attorney. Happy to help you through this and help navigate the situation. My email is eo@eol.law if you have any questions I’m happy to help you through it. My website is eol.law.
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u/Thin-Stranger1369 13d ago
I tell you what you find the guy you got the job
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u/lanternfly_carcass 11d ago
If you have a car, your own car insurance should cover you. Also there are laws in PA that help victims of hit and runs with minimizing bills
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u/ronreadingpa 13d ago
Consider asking friends, etc to stake out the area discreetly and legally with cameras rolling. Especially on the weekend. If it's a local, probably has a predictable routine. Might get lucky.
Saw a post about someone claiming to be an attorney. Do not trust any solicitations. Even if they / website seem real looking. Reach out directly.
While odds are decent someone will figure out who the person is, be prepared for the possibility they're never identified. Or even if they are, being unable to pursue it further. Definitely keep trying right now, but at some point, may run out of options.
If overly determined and money is no object, hiring a private investigator and an attorney to assist in subpoena video and other records. Could easily get into 5-figures relatively quickly.
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u/Otherwise_Shallot_76 13d ago
I’d be posting this all over social media. Maybe the 422 families page and any Oley Facebook pages.
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u/Sunkitteh 13d ago
Maybe cross post in r/motorcycles? IDK- sorry it happened, and I hope the driver is found
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u/still_stunned 13d ago
What happened with the person who asked in your first post if you could recognize the driver or truck? They apparently know someone that fit the description you gave.
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u/That-Interaction-45 13d ago
Try Google maps
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u/That-Interaction-45 13d ago
I can't figure out how to add a pic here. It's a red truck close to the place
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u/MaidenfanPA 13d ago
There were flock cameras out there but unfortunately they were removed due to public outrage.
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u/Thin-Stranger1369 13d ago
Haha not a fan until now
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u/MaidenfanPA 13d ago
In all seriousness.. I hope you recover fast. I would call local body shops and give them a heads up in case someone claims they hit a deer.
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u/Turbulent_Ad2013 13d ago
The company I work for distributes all of Vespa products in North America I didn’t think ppl actually rode them but we have so many orders daily j
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u/Spiritual_Word_4566 13d ago
Kind of weird because lately after work I’ve been behind this big red truck that’s always swerving and driving about 20 miles over the speed limit. But I work in York pa and live in New Oxford pa
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u/Fuck_the_Deplorables 13d ago edited 13d ago
I realize this is a long shot that might not bear fruit, but if this happened to me, I’d be compiling a map of all traffic cameras that cover roads to and from this location and map out a likely timeframe for when the driver would have passed through those.
I’d also be looking into the processes involved for doing an open records request for footage from those cameras. It’s possible that info is not available to the public or that you need to hire a licensed investigator or an attorney to pursue that.
However I’m quite certain that police departments use that info daily to track vehicles which flee traffic stops etc. So I’d also be calling/visiting the different local police departments that have coverage in the area and trying to establish a rapport with whoever you speak to — you may just need one person to take an interest in helping find the perpetrator. But I’d talk to whomever will listen and take notes on whatever they have to tell you.
You had asked about doorbell cameras before. You could go door to door and meet the owners — but hurry those overwrite the data quickly, easily within a week. Don’t expect a license plate but you might get a usable make/model/color you can take to the police. Do this prepared with many copies of a letter to the homeowner which includes a photo of your crash site or yourself and your contact info for anyone who has a camera but isn’t home when you stop by. I think the photo will help convince them to respond.
As a cyclist, getting hit by a car in this manner is terrifying. Someone was just sent to prison many years for killing a cyclist in a similar manner (Lancaster County perhaps). I wish you best of luck finding the driver.
Also lean on your insurance company for assistance.