Motorcyclist Struck By Lightning, Crashes, Survives

Troy Siahaan
by Troy Siahaan

On Friday, August 14, 2015, Eugene Villines of Greeley, Colorado was heading home from work as a Colorado Army National Guard member. He was aboard his motorcycle when he was suddenly struck by lightning. The strike appears to have momentarily paralyzed him, causing Villines to crash. Miraculously, he survived the incident and he thanks his helmet for saving his life.

Villines says he wasn’t riding in the middle of a storm, and only recalls dark clouds up above during his commute. He doesn’t remember being struck by lightning.

“I feel pretty good,” Villines told ABC News today, speaking from the hospital where he is being treated. His injuries include bruised ribs and punctured lungs.

Despite riding during rush hour traffic, no other vehicles struck Villines after his fall. In fact, bystanders, including a nurse, quickly came to his aid while the proper authorities were being contacted. The family has stated it would like to gather those who helped Villines, including the nurse, whose name is Margaret. As yet, the family has not been able to contact her.

As for Eugene Villines’ riding future, it’s too soon to tell. He simply wants to recover first before deciding whether or not to give up motorcycles.

Read the full story, with video, here: http://gma.yahoo.com/video/motorcycle-rider-struck-lightning-survives-115821652.html

Troy Siahaan
Troy Siahaan

Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.

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