The accident blocked traffic on Boston Road in both directions for more than 90 minutes.
A Springfield police officer looks at the wreckage of a motorcycle involved in a Boston Road crash while an onlooker takes a photo with her cell phone. After impact the motorcycle continued for another 100 feet into the parking lot of a Boston Road shop.
A Springfield police officer takes a photo of the debris field from a Boston Road accident. A motorcycle clipped the front end of a car, seriously injuring the motorcyclistThis is an update of a story that was posted at 8:43 p.m. Wednesday
SPRINGFIELD - A motorcyclist was critically injured Wednesday night after colliding with the front end of a car in the area of 600 Boston Road, according to police.
The accident closed both lanes of Boston Road for more than 90 minutes while police investigated the crash and cleared the scene. Debris from the motorcycle was scattered across the both lanes of the road.
Traffic was detoured down Fargo and Arnold streets until Boston Road reopened at about 9:30 p.m.
The motorcyclist was rushed to Baystate Medical Center following the accident. While his condition was not known, police said his injuries are very serious. Police were not releasing his name.
According to Sgt. Neil Maloney of the Springfield Police Traffic Bureau, the motorcycle was heading east at a high rate of speed.
The rider apparently lost control rounding a curve and the bike skidded into the westbound lane where it clipped the front end of a car, Maloney said.
Investigators are still trying to put together what happened, he said. There were reports from witnesses that the motorcyclist had been doing wheelies just before losing control, but Maloney said those had not yet been confirmed.
Impact ripped the right front bumper off the car, and the motorcycle skidded for another 100 feet or so, coming to rest by the front door step of Dezi's Jewelry Exchange and Pawn Shop.
Several pieces of the motorcycle were torn off, including the gas tank and engine, and were lying in the road.