A fatal Scottsdale motorcycle accident involving a Phoenix Children’s Hospital Physician and a hit-and-run landscaping truck driver serves as a tragic reminder of the dangers motorcyclists face every day in Arizona, according to attorney Kyle A. Israel, founding attorney at Phoenix-based law firm Israel & Gerity, PLLC.

Israel based his comments on an AZCentral.com article about the recent accident, which occurred when Dr. Robert Arceci, 65, was on his way to work on Monday, June 8. According to the article, the physician’s motorcycle collided with a landscaping truck that was turning in front of him. Arceci died at the scene of the crash, and the truck’s driver ran from the scene of the accident. (AZCentral.com, “Phoenix doctor killed in crash was renowned child-cancer expert,” June 9)

“Sadly, accidents involving motorcycles and larger vehicles are all-too-common in Phoenix and across Arizona,” Israel said. “Because of difference in size between a motorcycle and a larger vehicle, the consequences of a collision between two vehicles can be serious, or as we’ve seen with this recent accident, fatal. While the cause of this accident remains under investigation, it’s important to remember that fleeing the scene of any accident is not only against the law, but can result in serious criminal charges against a driver whose negligence caused a fatal accident.”

The AZCentral story notes that Dr. Arceci, a published research professor at the University of Arizona College in Phoenix, was a renowned as an international expert in the fields of pediatric cancer and blood disorders and considered an international authority in pediatric oncology. The story notes he was an avid motorcyclist who rode his motorcycle to work every day and participated in charitable rides to benefit his field of research.

According to AZCentral, the accident occurred at the intersection of 69th Street and Shea Boulevard in Scottsdale. Police officers who responded to the accident noted that the driver of the landscaping truck fled the crash scene, with two passengers inside the truck remaining. No arrests have been made as of press time.

Such accidents represent the tragic – and often preventable – nature of motorcycle accidents, Israel said.

“Most motorcyclists are law-abiding drivers who are not only well-aware of the risks involved with riding, but also know how to safely share the road with others,” he said. “But all it can take is a split-second decision by another driver to change the lives of entire families forever. The cause of this accident is currently under investigation. However, from what our firm has seen, drivers often don’t flee the scene of an accident unless they feel a need to do so. It is our hope that authorities track down the driver and get to the bottom of how this tragic accident occurred.”