Motorcycle Accident Suit Settled Bus Crash Victims, Relatives Offered More Than $2 Million

The government will pay more than $2 million to settle a lawsuit stemming from a 1993 motorcycle wreck in Mount Rainier National Park.

The settlement will be split among four plaintiffs who were severely injured or whose relatives died when a tour bus plowed into a group of about 30 motorcyclists who were riding on Washington 410 near the Deadwood Creek bridge in September 1993.

The plaintiffs sued the state, the federal government and the bus driver. The lawsuit trial had been scheduled to begin Monday in U.S. District Court here.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs alleged that signs warning of construction on the highway were inadequate, causing the bus driver to swerve and hit the bikers when he came upon unexpected traffic.

The driver had just passed a sign that warned of a detour 1,000 feet ahead when he rounded a curve and found a line of cars that was backed up due to construction. Rather than rear-end the waiting vehicles, the bus driver swerved into the other lane and struck several motorcyclists.

“In the mind of the driver, you have to go 1,000 feet before you think about it,” said John Messina, attorney for the daughters of Robert “Taco Bob” Hyde and his wife, Mary, who were both killed in the accident.

“This guy comes around a corner and bingo, there’s 900 feet of cars in front of him,” Messina said.

Hyde was the founder of the Tacoma chapter of the Harley Owners Group.

Attorney Stephen Bulzomi, who also represented the Hydes’ daughters, said his case was strong because experts were prepared to testify that lineups of 700 to 800 feet should have been expected given the number of cars that regularly used the road.

The sisters will collect $490,000. It wasn’t clear how the rest of the money will be divided as a result of the settlement reached about 10 days ago and announced Friday.

Messina said the federal government has agreed to pay $2million, the state $50,000 and the bus driver, who is covered by insurance, about $340,000.