Motorcycle Officer Injured in Rear-End Accident — Oct 18, 2017
Merced police Officer Jeffrey Gonzales was taken to Mercy Medical Center Wednesday after he was involved in a motorcycle crash close to M and 20th Streets in Merced. He suffered injuries to the side of his head. He also received injuries to his ankle and arm. The accident occurred at approximately 2:00 p.m. as Gonzales was astride his 2009 BMW police bike northbound on M Street. He was in the left lane when he struck the rear of a black Lexus GS300 2001 model driven by Kathleen Stole, 68, of Merced. She was making a right turn on 20th Street when the motorcycle officer crashed into her. He had been attempting to change lanes. He was thrown from the bike and they both slid across the roadway and stopped in the southbound lanes of M Street.