Phenix City motorcyclist dies following Columbus wreck on Victory Drive

A Phenix City motorcyclist died Saturday evening following a single-vehicle wreck at the intersection of Victory Drive and 10th Avenue in Columbus, said Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan.

Bryan said Daniel Leddon, the 33-year-old driver, was transported to the Midtown Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead of blunt-force trauma to the chest at 6:46 p.m. His body will not be scheduled to undergo an autopsy, but a sample of his blood will be sent to Atlanta for toxicology testing, the coroner added.

Columbus Police said they were called to the scene around 4:45 p.m. Saturday and spoke with witnesses, including a friend of Leddon who was traveling in front of him at the time of the 3:34 p.m. wreck.

The friend said he was with Leddon when Leddon purchased a 2006 Honda Shadow 1100CC Saturday afternoon from the Extreme Power Sports at 2990 North Lake Parkway. The two proceeded to The Office Sports Bar & Grill at 2979 North Lake Parkway, where they had lunch before heading to the American International Movers at 2429 Victory Drive.

The friend told authorities that he and Leddon were traveling east on Victory Drive at 40 to 45 mph when he looked in his rear-view mirror and saw his friend “flipping down the road” at the intersection of 10th Avenue. The speed limit in that area is 45 mph, police noted.

“Mr. Leddon stated that he attempted to lean into the turn on Victory Drive at 10th Avenue, but the motorcycle weighed more than the motorcycle he was used to riding,” said an officer who interviewed Leddon at the hospital. “He then struck the curb and attempted to ride it out but crashed the motorcycle.”

Due to the impact, the driver was thrown into a street sign as his bike continued to slide a short distance further into the middle median, a second witness told police.

According to the police report, that witness stated that Leddon appeared to have “run over something” that caused his rear tire to “slide out,” but Leddon couldn’t recall seeing anything in the road.

This story was originally published February 22, 2016 at 8:59 AM with the headline "Phenix City motorcyclist dies following Columbus wreck on Victory Drive."