Walsall man fights for life after collision

Mar 16 2009 by Mike Bradley, Birmingham Mail

A 19-YEAR-OLD man was fighting for life today after two off-road motorcycles and a car were in collision in Walsall.

He sustained major head injuries when he was hurled from the motorcycle he was riding.

It happened in Wood Lane, Pelsall, yesterday afternoon.

The man, who has not yet been named, was flown by air ambulance to Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, where today he remained critically ill.

Police said neither he, nor a 15-year-old riding the second machine, had been wearing crash helmets.

The 15-year-old, who was not seriously hurt, was arrested at the scene and later released on police bail.

Police said the accident, involving a Nissan Micra, happened at 1.45pm.

The car driver suffered shock but was otherwise not seriously injured.

Police sealed off the road for several hours to enable the air ambulance to land and carry out investigations at the crash scene. Today, a West Midlands Police spokesman appealed for witnesses to the crash and warned that off-road motorbiking was illegal.

He said: “Anyone caught riding an off-road motorbike illegally will be warned, then face having it confiscated and crushed.

“If they are driving it without insurance, which many people are, they can then be arrested.”