Lenoir City man critical after Dragon accident
By Jessica Stith
of The Daily Times Staff
A Lenoir City man was in critical condition
Thursday after he was thrown off his motorcycle while riding on
the Dragon.
Jesse Matthew Tremaine, 49, Lenoir City, was taken by Lifestar
helicopter to University of Tennessee Medical Center following
the wreck.
According to Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper James Dalton,
Tremaine was riding a black 2008 Ducati Hypermotard southbound
on Calderwood Highway and "entered a curve going too fast" near
mile marker 2.8, at an area known as "Gravity Cavity."
"He locked up his back brake, causing the
motorcycle to skid," Dalton said.
His motorcycle left the edge of the roadway, causing the bike to
go sideways and Tremaine was thrown off. Tremaine hit the
roadway about 15 feet away from where the motorcycle was found,
Dalton said.
Dalton said Tremaine was wearing a helmet and full protective
gear. He was riding a section of Calderwood Highway known as the
Dragon, an 11.1-mile stretch of road with 318 curves between Tab
Cat Creek and Deals Gap, N.C.
A witness reported to Dalton that they saw Tremaine come through
that section of the Dragon several times and he was "getting a
little faster each time."
Rural/Metro Ambulance Service personnel, Blount County Sheriff's
deputies and members of the Blount County Volunteer Rescue Squad
all responded to the scene. A landing zone was set up, where the
medic helicopter picked up Tremaine and took him to UT Medical
Center.