Car hits motorcycle, killing Temperance man

8/11/2003

A 23-year-old Bedford Township man died yesterday after a car slammed into the rear of his motorcycle in a construction zone on I-75 near downtown, police said.

Jason J. Scheuerman, 23, of Feltis Drive, Temperance, was pronounced dead at Toledo Hospital shortly after the accident. The driver of the car, Robert Alexander, 41, of Berkshire Place was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide and driving under the influence.

Police said Mr. Scheuerman entered I-75 from the 14th Street entrance ramp about 5:30 p.m., heading north with a friend riding alongside on another motorcycle. As the two merged into traffic traveling about 40 to 50 mph, Mr. Alexander's car struck the Scheuerman motorcycle from behind and drove over it, police said.

The car was traveling at high rate speed in a construction zone where resurfacing work has been taking place for more than a month, police said. Sgt. Paul Kerschbaum said the drunken driving and aggravated vehicular homicide charges against Mr. Alexander stem from the results of a breath test. He said Mr. Alexander admitted he had been drinking earlier in the day.

It was unclear whether Mr. Alexander had entered I-75 from the 14th Street ramp or was on the expressway when the crash occurred, police said. Three lanes of I-75 were open to northbound traffic at the time. Mr. Alexander was in the Lucas County jail last night pending a court appearance today.