Tennessee Motorcyclist Killed in Two-Vehicle Crash on U.S. 90 East of Robertsdale

ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — A Tennessee motorcyclist killed Wednesday night, Oct. 7, was thrown from his bike after a minivan struck it on U.S. 90 east of Robertsdale in Baldwin County, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Brian A. Rhodes, 42, of Pinson, Tennessee, was fatally injured when the 2024 KTM 990 Duke motorcycle he was riding was struck by a 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by Matthew M. Brown, 47, of Robertsdale, ALEA said. After the initial impact, Rhodes was thrown from the motorcycle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Where and when the crash happened

The crash happened at about 7:50 p.m. Wednesday on U.S. 90 near mile marker 67, roughly four miles east of Robertsdale, according to ALEA.

U.S. 90 is one of Baldwin County’s main east-west routes. It runs across the county from the Mobile Bay area through Loxley and Robertsdale toward the Perdido River and the Florida state line, carrying a mix of local commuters, farm traffic, commercial trucks and travelers. East of Robertsdale, the highway passes through largely rural farmland and small communities, where lighting can be limited after dark.

Robertsdale, a city of several thousand residents in central Baldwin County, sits where U.S. 90 crosses Alabama 59, the main north-south route to Foley and the beaches. The stretch of U.S. 90 east of the city leads toward Elsanor, Seminole and the Florida line, and it sees steady traffic from residents and from travelers heading between Baldwin County and the Pensacola area.

The crash occurred after sunset, when visibility on rural highways is typically lower. ALEA has not said what caused the collision, which direction either vehicle was traveling, or whether Brown was injured.

What ALEA has not released

The agency’s initial report did not include several details, including:

• How the van and motorcycle came to collide, such as whether one vehicle was turning or crossing the other’s path.
• Whether Brown or anyone else in the van was hurt.
• Whether any charges are being considered. ALEA’s report did not indicate that anyone has been charged.
• Whether weather, lighting, speed or other factors played a role.

Fatal crashes on state and federal highways in Alabama’s unincorporated areas are typically investigated by troopers with ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division. Information about a crash’s cause is often released later, after troopers complete their investigation, and is not always made public.

Motorcycle crashes in Baldwin County

Rhodes’ death is the latest in a series of fatal motorcycle crashes in Baldwin County reported this year. In July, a Louisiana man died after a motorcycle crash on Interstate 10 near Loxley, according to ALEA. In September, ALEA identified a 51-year-old Loxley man who died when his motorcycle struck a trailer during a police pursuit on Black Devine Road.

The crash also came the same week that two people were killed in Summerdale when a car left Alabama 59 and struck a utility pole, according to police.

Motorcyclists are far more vulnerable than people inside cars and trucks in a crash. Federal highway safety data consistently show that motorcycle riders are killed at a much higher rate per mile traveled than passenger vehicle occupants, largely because riders have little protection when they are thrown from a bike, as ALEA said happened in this crash.

Sharing the road safely

Safety officials offer advice for both drivers and riders, particularly on two-lane rural highways and after dark:

• Look twice for motorcycles. Motorcycles are smaller and easier to miss, especially at intersections and when a vehicle is turning left. Check mirrors and blind spots carefully before changing lanes or pulling onto a highway.
• Judge speed and distance carefully. Because of their size, motorcycles can appear farther away and slower than they really are.
• Give riders room. Allow extra following distance behind a motorcycle, since riders may need to slow suddenly or adjust for road conditions.
• Wear protective gear. Alabama law requires all motorcycle operators and passengers to wear helmets. Riders can also improve their chances with reflective or brightly colored clothing, gloves, sturdy boots and protective jackets.
• Be visible at night. Riders should use headlights, keep lights and reflectors clean, and position themselves where drivers can see them.
• Avoid distractions and impairment. Drivers and riders should put phones away and never drive or ride after drinking or using drugs.

The Alabama Department of Transportation and ALEA promote motorcycle safety awareness each year, and motorcycle safety training courses are available to riders across the state for those who want to sharpen their skills.

If you come upon a crash

Drivers who arrive at a crash scene before emergency crews should call 911 right away, give the most precise location possible, such as a mile marker or nearby cross street, and pull well off the road with hazard lights on. Unless there is an immediate danger such as fire, injured people, especially motorcyclists, generally should not be moved, because doing so can worsen spinal or other injuries. Alabama’s Move Over law also requires drivers to move over or slow down when passing stopped emergency vehicles.

Reporting information and checking road conditions

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information about it can contact ALEA. Drivers can check traffic conditions, crashes and lane closures on Alabama highways through ALDOT’s ALGO Traffic website at algotraffic.com.

ALEA did not release further information about Rhodes or the circumstances of his trip to Baldwin County. South Alabama News extends condolences to his family and friends.