Hartland Township, MI : Motorcyclist killed in fatal crash on Wednesday afternoon,August 12th 2015

Bert Loomis didn’t just love riding his Harley. The 48-year-old loved using it to help others.
He and his wife Julie Loomis organized a “Cruising for a Cure” ride that benefited a family with a child fighting cancer every year.
“It meant everything to us because we knew we were helping a kid that was ill and might not be there long,” said Julie.
Now Bert won’t be here long, because of an accident on the bike he loved so much. He is at the University of Michigan Hospital on life support so his organs can be donated in the coming hours. It is something Bert wanted to do to save lives when he lost his
“He had the biggest heart,” said his wife. “There is no one who will ever replace him.”
Investigators with the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office are asking for the public’s help finding a driver witnesses say was involved.
The accident happened as Bert was driving his Harley from work at Kennedy Industries in Milford to his home in Gaines Township. It was about 3:30 Wednesday afternoon on U.S. 23 northbound.
Witnesses say someone in a maroon Pontiac Grand Am or Grand Prix, without signaling, slammed on the brakes and did a U-turn just before Clyde Road in Hartland. The vehicle is described as having damage on its side rear fender and driver’s side door.
Two other cars in front of Bert slammed on their brakes to avoid a crash, but when Bert hit the brakes he lost control. He had on a helmet, but it was smaller than the kind recommended by the Department of Transportation. He suffered a fatal head injury.
The driver witnesses blame never stopped.Investigators say they are still working to find out what happened. They want to talk to that driver to get his or her side, and bring Bert’s loved one’s closure.
“To me, to leave an accident like that is cowardly,” said Julie.
“That person needs to turn himself in,” said Brian Loomis, Bert’s brother.
Many who know Bert are trying to focus on celebrating the good he did in life and the lives he is saving in death by being an organ donor. They say they will work to make sure his annual charity motorcycle rides continue.
“We’ll have rides in name of you Bert,” said Jeff Nachtweih, the owner of Kennedy Industries where Bert worked as a mechanic for 20 years. “We’ll have rides in name of you.”
“Those rides, they meant the world to us. They were so important to Bert,” said Julie.



Source:
Sheriff's Department searches for driver in fatal crash that killed motorcyclist on US-23