A Hartwick man died Monday after his motorcycle hit a Jeep at an intersection in the town of Otsego, deputies said.
Andrew L. Ellis, 23, was taken by ambulance to Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, where he was treated for head and chest trauma. He died at 4:48 p.m., Otsego County deputies and Otsego County Coroner James Dow said.
Ellis, who was wearing a helmet, hit the passenger side of the Jeep, deputies said.
The accident was the third serious crash within four days involving local men on motorcycles and the second resulting in a fatality. Michael Farone, 47, of Franklin, died Saturday after a minivan pulled into the path of his motorcycle in Cortland County.
Ellis' accident at 2:12 p.m. Monday happened at the intersection of state Route 28 and Johnstons Road, an area with limited-sight distance, deputies said.
According to a media release from deputies, Brittany R. Rombough, 18, of Cooperstown, was driving a 2004 Jeep Liberty north on Day Road when she stopped at the intersection with Route 28, looked in both directions and, after seeing no traffic, continued north and crossed Route 28 to enter Johnstons Road.
As Rombough was crossing the highway, Ellis was driving his motorcycle westbound, cresting a knoll in the roadway, deputies said. He tried unsuccessful;y to stop, hitting the Jeep on its passenger-side door.
A ``very limited sight distance in the area'' meant Rombough would not have seen the westbound vehicle as she entered the roadway, deputies said, and Ellis wouldn't have seen the Jeep.
Deputies said that neighbors interviewed Monday expressed concerns about accidents at the intersection and said they had tried to have a mirror installed to increase visibility.
``It's a bad intersection, coming off of Day Road,'' said Sheriff Richard Devlin Jr.
A caller to 911 reported the accident Monday, and Fly Creek and Cooperstown Fire Departments and deputies were dispatched to the scene, the release said.
Rombough, who had been wearing a seat belt, didn't have physical injuries but was taken by a private vehicle to Bassett to be checked, deputies said.
