EXUP Worldwide

This article really rubs me the wrong way. The headline is Chopper builder hurt in fatal crash - as if the person killed in the accident is just a footnote ... and it was due to Billy Lanes's reckless driving. I guess if you ride a Yamaha moped your life does not count the same as the life of a custom chopper celebrity; at least in the eyes of the Florida media.

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.d ... S/60905003

Article dated 9/5/06

Chopper builder hurt in fatal crash

Billy Lane's truck, motorcycle collide on A1A near Melbourne Beach

BY J.D. GALLOP
FLORIDA TODAY

After the accident. Custom chopper builder Billy Lane's Dodge truck is towed to a police impound yard in Indian Harbour Beach. Malcolm Denemark, FLORIDA TODAY

Local motorcycle shop owner Billy Lane, who has appeared on the Discovery Channel's “Biker Build-Off” and “Monster Garage,” was injured in a head-on traffic accident Monday that left a man riding a small moped dead.

The 9 p.m. accident involving the 36-year-old Lane, the owner of the Melbourne-based Choppers Inc. and a resident of Melbourne Beach, occurred on State Road A1A south of Melbourne Beach near the intersection of Ballyshannon Street. Florida Highway Patrol investigators said Lane was trying to pass two other vehicles on a double yellow-lined portion of A1A when his southbound 2006 Dodge Ram pickup collided with a northbound 1983 Yamaha moped.

The motorcyclist, identified as 56-year-old Melbourne Beach resident Gerald Morelock, was wearing a helmet. He suffered extensive injuries during the collision with the pickup and was pronounced dead at the scene.

“Lane hit the motorcycle head on, and then the pickup hit a power pole,” said Kim Miller, spokeswoman for the Florida Highway Patrol.

Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Patrick O'Neill confirmed that Morelick was riding the small motor bike.

“But it was street legal,” O'Neill said this morning.

Miller said a passenger in the custom-painted black pickup, identified as 22-year-old Erin Derrick of Rockledge, was also injured in the crash. Lane and Derrick were transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne. Lane was treated and released while Derrick remained in stable condition this afternoon, hospital officials said.

Lane, a tattoo-adorned, dreadlocked chopper-building legend was semi-conscious at the accident scene. He is known nationally for his work building custom-made motorcycles.

Florida Highway Patrol traffic homicide investigators said no charges were filed, but added they were waiting on the results of blood-alcohol tests, which were sent to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement state lab for evaluation.

Employees contacted at Lane's Choppers Inc. this morning would not comment about the accident.

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Don

Now I'm really frosted ... a follow-up article by Florida Today spends the entire article covering Billy Lane's celebrity status, and nothing about the rider he killed except to mention his name. I'm really interested to see the results of the blood-alcohol test.

Chopper builder involved in fatal crash

BY JOHN A. TORRES
and J.D. GALLOP

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.d ... 1/archives

Article dated 9/10/06

Billy Lane. Billy Lane, who has appeared on the Discovery Channel's "Biker Build-Off" and "Monster Garage," was injured in a head-on traffic accident Monday night that killed a man riding a small moped.

Half a dozen motorcycles, ranging from custom chrome to a well-worn Indian, stood outside local motorcycle legend Billy Lane's Melbourne store Tuesday afternoon, announcing that the shop was open.

But inside it was not business as usual.

The mood in the store was somber, and employees had been instructed not to speak to reporters.

"I'm sorry. We have no comment," said the greeter at the store.

Lane, who has appeared on the Discovery Channel's "Biker Build-Off" and "Monster Garage," was injured in a head-on traffic accident Monday night that killed a man riding a small moped.

The 9 p.m. accident involving the 36-year-old Lane, a resident of Melbourne Beach, occurred on State Road A1A south of Melbourne Beach near Ballyshannon Street. Florida Highway Patrol investigators said Lane was trying to pass two other vehicles on a double yellow-lined portion of A1A when his southbound 2006 Dodge Ram pickup collided with a northbound 1983 Yamaha moped.

The motorcyclist, identified as 56-year-old Melbourne Beach resident Gerald Morelock, was wearing a helmet. He suffered extensive injuries during the collision with the pickup and was pronounced dead at the scene. No further information was available about Morelock.

"Lane hit the motorcycle head on, and then the pickup hit a power pole," said Kim Miller, a spokeswoman for the Florida Highway Patrol.

Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Patrick O'Neill confirmed Morelock was riding the small motor bike, which was "street legal."

For almost 20 years, Lane has made a name for himself building custom choppers with innovative and artistic designs, admitting he has a flair for the extravagant. One of his creations, the Psycho Billy Cadillac -- featuring a hollow back wheel -- won several national awards, including one sponsored by Easy Rider magazine.

When he appeared on the hit television show "Monster Garage," Lane helped transform a Mustang into one of the world's fastest lawnmowers. Working with five other "gearheads," Lane designed the machine to break the 14-minute record held for trimming the grass on a football field.

Miller said a passenger in the custom-painted black pickup, identified as 22-year-old Erin Derrick of Rockledge, was also injured in the crash. Lane and Derrick were taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne.

Lane, a tattooed, dreadlocked motorcycling enthusiast, was semi-conscious at the accident scene. Lane was treated and released while Derrick remained in stable condition, hospital officials said.

Lane's close friend Steven Casanova, a Melbourne attorney, was stunned to hear about the accident. Casanova said Lane is not your "typical biker."

"Billy is a very low-key guy, but he's incredibly intelligent, " Casanova said. Lane has an engineering degree.

Florida Highway Patrol traffic homicide investigators said no charges were filed, but they were waiting on the results of blood-alcohol tests, which were sent to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement state lab in Orlando for evaluation.

The results, part of the traffic investigation, could take up to eight weeks to return. The State Attorney's Office, however, said blood-alcohol results could be back much sooner.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Don

djalbin wrote:"Billy is a very low-key guy, but he's incredibly intelligent, " Casanova said.

Apparently not intelligent enough not to drive drunk or pass on a double yellow.

Sorry, to hear about this happening. On a side note, I don't think I've heard of Billy Lane.

NO CHARGES FILED?!?!?!?!?!?!? For gods sake, he killed a person and they suspect he had been drinking? DUH! Doesnt that right there automatically qualify him for vehicular manslaughter???

Thats just wrong, what about the poor guy that he killed and his family? It is just wrong that someone reaches celebrity status and they get to abide by a whole new set of rules of law...

If it were you or me, we would be in custody right now. I have seen Billy on the shows they talk about and he seemed pretty reckless to me with his riding...

WickedFZR1K wrote:NO CHARGES FILED?!?!?!?!?!?!? For gods sake, he killed a person and they suspect he had been drinking? DUH! Doesnt that right there automatically qualify him for vehicular manslaughter???

I'm sure they don't want to charge him until all the evidence is available, they would hate to get sued for damage to his public image for false criminal charges


they better, he already passed on a double yellow, thats a ticket right there!

WickedFZR1K wrote:NO CHARGES FILED?!?!?!?!?!?!? For gods sake, he killed a person and they suspect he had been drinking? DUH! Doesnt that right there automatically qualify him for vehicular manslaughter???

Thats just wrong, what about the poor guy that he killed and his family? It is just wrong that someone reaches celebrity status and they get to abide by a whole new set of rules of law...

If it were you or me, we would be in custody right now. I have seen Billy on the shows they talk about and he seemed pretty reckless to me with his riding...

The charges are PENDING. Until the BAC blood tests come back they are holding off before filing the charges.


On a side note he also has a court dat in NC in Oct for a DUI arrest in July when a cop pulle him over for riding on the wrong side of the road.

would rather he had been the moped rider,saying that it wouldnt have made any news if no 'celbs' had been involved

on the upside we all get to watch the new series of 'prison build off'

Hmmmm, steal a lawn mower engine from the grounds keeper, some trash can lids from the mess hall for wheels (not gonna go that fast, dont need tires anyways), steal some rope chains from the homies for a drive chain, bend the cell door bars into a frame, hmmmm Prison Choppers Inc is born!!! LOL LOL LOL

So crossing the yellow line to pass and then killing someone is ok ? But if you do it while drinking it's not? What is wrong with this picture?

billy lane is the most annoying of all the "chopper gods". this just confirms my theory in that he is a total piece of garbage. first he "trademarks" his hubless wheel concept as his own, now this. i hope they throw the book at him for vehicular manslaughter.

RZYZF wrote:So crossing the yellow line to pass and then killing someone is ok ? But if you do it while drinking it's not? What is wrong with this picture?

no, they dont like filing charges more than once, so they are waiting to see what the biggest charges they can file are probably

The local media finally provides some coverage of the victim ...

Memorial to honor victim of accident

Family plans event to pay tribute to life

BY JOHN A. TORRES
FLORIDA TODAY
September 17, 2006

If you go
The Gerald Morelock Memorial Picnic will be held today at 6 p.m. at the Sebastian Inlet State Park's southside pavilion. Entry to the park for the memorial will be free. The event is open to the public. People are encouraged to bring a dish of food.

Gerald Morelock's family is saying goodbye to the Labor Day crash victim this evening at what they hope will be more of a picnic than a wake.

Morelock, 56, died on impact the night of Sept. 4 when his moped was hit head-on by a pickup truck driven by well-known motorcycle builder Billy Lane. Florida Highway Patrol investigators said Lane was trying to pass two other vehicles on a double yellow-lined portion of A1A when he collided with Morelock.

Morelock lived in Melbourne Beach and worked as a park ranger at Sebastian Inlet State Park -- his favorite place. His friends and family will gather there to remember him and celebrate his life.

The public is invited.

"He wasn't a funeral type of guy," said his brother Byron Morelock of Indialantic. "This is a chance for everyone to enjoy our beautiful park and help us say goodbye to my beautiful brother Gerry."

The "picnic" starts at 6 p.m. at the Sebastian Inlet Park southside pavilion. While everyone is asked to bring a dish, Morelock said the park would not be charging a entry fee for those attending the service, and is helping by providing tables, ice and speakers.

"I want people to come out and fish with their kids," Byron Morelock said. "Gerry would have loved that. We want to celebrate his life and make this a happy thing."

Though they lived in Ohio, the Morelock family would spend Christmas vacations fishing and swimming in the Sebastian Inlet. As a child, Gerald Morelock told family members he would one day live there.

Lane, known in the motorcycle community for appearances on cable television shows, was semi-conscious at the accident scene. He was taken to a hospital where he was treated and released. His passenger, 22-year-old Erin Derrick, was hospitalized and released late last week. Blood was drawn at the scene and will be tested to determine if Lane was driving under the influence.

No charges have been filed. Lane has retained criminal defense attorney Kepler Funk.

"We're still waiting on the blood," said Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman Kim Miller. "We asked them to put a rush on it, but we're still waiting. The main thing we are waiting for is to see if the crash was alcohol-related."

In June, Lane was arrested by the North Carolina Highway Patrol and charged with drunken driving. Police said Lane was riding a motorcycle the wrong way on a two-lane road without a helmet. According to police, Lane refused a Breathalyzer test.

Morelock was cremated Wednesday and his brother said he hopes to spread some of his ashes at the park.

Gerald Morelock's sister, Dawn Spence, was unable to leave Ohio for the memorial due to an illness in the family. But she said that half the ashes will be spread later this fall at Wright State University, where her brother went to school.

"We think about him every day," she said. "It's gotten a little harder because it's starting to sink in. Memories keep coming back."

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.d ... 1/archives

Don

Motorcycle shop owner charged with manslaughter in biker's death

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/ ... 606029.htm



TRAVIS REED
Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. - A motorcycle shop owner who has appeared on the Discovery Channel's "Biker Build-Off" was arrested Monday and charged with drunken driving manslaughter in the traffic death of a biker.

William "Billy" Lane, 36, registered a blood alcohol level of 0.192 percent, more than twice the legal driving limit of 0.08. He was also driving with a suspended license for refusing to take an alcohol breath test after a June incident in North Carolina, Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Kim Miller said.

Lane, owner of Melbourne-based Choppers Inc., attempted to pass two cars Sept. 4 in his 2006 Dodge Ram pickup despite a double-yellow line, Miller said. He struck 56-year-old Gerald Morelock, of Melbourne Beach, on his Yamaha Motorcycle, killing the man at the scene, Miller said.

Investigators are still trying to determine how fast Lane was going. Miller said Lane originally refused to submit to alcohol tests this time also, but complied when officers told him the bloodwork could be forcibly taken because the crashed killed someone.

"We are currently conducting our own investigation of every aspect of this accident, including the reported blood alcohol level," said Lane's attorney Kepler Funk.

Accompanied by his attorneys, Lane turned himself in at a Florida Highway Patrol station, Miller said. He was also charged with DUI serious bodily injury and driving on a suspended license involving a death. He was booked into the Brevard County Jail on $15,000 bond.

Choppers Inc. released a statement on Lane's behalf saying:

"We first want to say that we extend our sincere sympathy to Mr. Morelocks family. Mr. Lane also was injured in the accident, but will cooperate fully in the pending investigation as he recovers."

If convicted, Lane faces up to 15 years in prison each for DUI manslaughter and driving on a suspended license in conjunction with a death, both second-degree felonies.

The tattooed, dreadlocked man has grown acclaim building custom-made motorcycles, writing two books on the subject and appearing on several television shows, including the "Biker Build-Off" and "Monster Garage." Last year he was featured in a Discovery special on his "Blood Sweat and Gears" tour.

------------------------------------------------------------

Looks like that's the end of Billy Lane for awhile

Don

good, I hope he goes to jail! he obviously didn't learn after his first incident.

What gets me about this mess is that they're playing up the fact that he was injured in the crash. BFD !!! He's alive and walking !!! And last I heard HE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT !!!

I hope they use his celebrity status and put him in a cell with a couple of cameras. And right before he gets locked in they pretty him up and let two of the biggest goons in the house welcome him to his new role as the leading lady !!

good point silver, i was thinking the same thing. i guess we should feel remorse for billy since he bumped his head in the crash he caused.

i hope they hang the bastard. drunk drivers are scum.

http://forums.floridatoday.com/viewtopic.php?t=2640

"Lane was injured and the gentleman that was riding a highway legal scotter gets what is essentially a footnote ? This article reads like the writers actually feel sorry for Billy Lane who in fact blew a .19 BAC after crossing a double-yellow line and killing someone in a head on collision !

By the way, a scooter is NOT exactly a moped ! And I wouldn't care if he was riding a freakin' pogo-stick ! In fact it wouldn't have mattered if he was riding a top-of-the-line Hardley boat-bike. A head-on with a pickup is going to mean one thing. You have less than a 10% chance of surviving. But a head-on with a pickup driven by Billy Lane seems to mean something else. The newspapers don't care if you're dead because your name isn't Billy Lane !"

Sent them an email too. I have a few real sore spots with the idiots that run the media these days.

I have to admit. they actually replied to my email !

-----Original Message-----
From: Me

I've read some crap in my time but I think this is just about the bottom of the barrel.

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.d ... 1/archives


-----Original Message-----
From: Them

sorry you feel that way. i guess you haven't taken the time to read the seven or eight follow-up stories we have done since.

==

From me :

You mean ...

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.d ... 70360/1006

The one that starts off "Lawyers for Billy Lane said the celebrity motorcycle designer is recovering from the injuries of a fatal accident earlier this month, even as the victim's family continues to mourn."

Gosh I guess the name of the guy he killed just doesn't bring in the headlines does it ?

Jeez Louise ! Are you guys going to start taking up donations for Lanes legal defense fund ? Did you send him flowers yet ?

Now how about doing a story on how a guy who kills someone on a motorcycle after getting drunk and attempting to pass two cars in a no-passing zone and once the charges are finally issued, he gets out of jail on a $15,k bond ?

You all have a real nice day. I have to go get on my Yamaha and ride my daily 120 mile commute now.

==

Does anyone here live in Florida ? Is this journalism common there ? I can understand cutting someone a little slack but heck this looks more like the PR-play around Nicole Brown and O.J Simpson !

Biker pleads not guilty in death

Lane formally charged by state

BY JOHN A. TORRES
FLORIDA TODAY
October 20, 2006

Celebrity motorcycle builder Billy Lane has pleaded not guilty to DUI manslaughter in the Labor Day accident that left a Melbourne Beach man dead.

The state attorney's office on Thursday formally charged Lane with the second-degree felony. If convicted, he faces a maximum 15 years in prison.

The state attorney's office is continuing its investigation and could tack on additional charges.

"There is a possibility of other charges, but it doesn't substantially change his exposure," said Assistant State Attorney Wayne Holmes. "It's a serious offense."

Lane was arrested by Florida Highway Patrol investigators on Sept. 25 in connection with a Labor Day accident that left Melbourne Beach resident Gerald Morelock dead. Police said that Lane's blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit.

In anticipation of the official charges, Lane's attorney Kepler Funk filed a written plea of not guilty with the courts and a demand for a trial. According to the Clerk of Courts Web site, Lane is due in court at 9 a.m. Oct. 27 in front of Judge A.B. Majeed for a first appearance. But Funk also filed a waiver of appearance, meaning Lane will not be in court that day.

"The most important thing to remember is that a human being died in this accident, and it's a tragedy that Mr. Lane feels every day," Funk said, adding that when first arrested, Lane was facing 25 years in prison. "This decision is not a surprise to me. I've been in contact with the state attorney's office on numerous occasions regarding this case, and I look forward to continued dialogue to resolve this case."

Lane, who owns a shop called Choppers Inc. in Melbourne, originally was charged by the Florida Highway Patrol with driving under the influence manslaughter, driving with his license suspended and driving under the influence with serious bodily injuries.

The fact that the state only filed one charge against Lane puzzled the victim's brother, Byron Morelock of Indialantic.

"I want him charged appropriately," he said. "I hope they don't drop the ball."

Investigators said the wreck occurred Sept. 4 after Lane crossed a double yellow line on State Road A1A south of Melbourne Beach to pass several other vehicles before striking Morelock, who was riding a 1983 Yamaha motorcycle.

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.d ... /610200332


Don