Man loses part of his leg

A motorcyclist’s left leg was severed above the ankle, according to authorities, in an accident on State Route 99 just south of Robertson Boulevard on Monday afternoon.

The accident reportedly was the result of an unsafe lane change by a truck-and-trailer rig, police said.

According to California Highway Patrol Sgt. Lloyd Pratt, a trucker from Iowa, operating the tractor-trailer, was driving southbound on SR 99 on Monday at approximately 55 mph, when, at 6:13 p.m. he began to change lanes just south of the Robertson Boulevard overpass.

The tractor-trailer struck the victim, a man believed to be in his mid-50s, as he rode his 2014 Harley Davidson motorcycle in the right-hand lane.

“Physical evidence and a statement from a witness basically indicated that the tractor-trailer made an unsafe lane change from the fast lane to the slow lane and struck the motorcycle,” Pratt said.

The collision, Pratt reported, then caused the motorcycle to overturn and land on the right shoulder of the road.

“It appears at this time that the motorcyclist’s left leg was severed as a result of the collision,” Pratt said. “That was preliminary information, due to the fact that he was transported before CHP arrived, but we’re fairly certain that’s the case.”

Pratt has stated that despite his injury, the victim of the collision is expected to survive.

The driver of the truck reportedly pulled over and waited for CHP to arrive.

Initially, the CHP office in Merced was dispatched, but CHP officers from Madera took over.

The victim, according to Pratt, was transported by a medical helicopter to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno. He was evacuated before officers could arrive.