Motorcyclists injured in Bikers for Babies

A charity motorcycle ride was delayed by 45 minutes on Sunday after a motorcyclist was involved in a serious accident north of Lawrence, emergency workers said.

The crash happened around noon at Midland Junction, on U.S. Highway 24/59.

John Coons, of Kansas City, Mo., lost control of his motorcycle and went into a ditch, a Kansas Highway Patrol report said. Coons, 56, was transported by air ambulance to Kansas University Hospital in Kansas City, Kan., with disabling injuries.

Approximately 8,000 motorcycles were participating in the Bikers for Babies charity ride for the March of Dimes. The 100-mile route started and ended at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan.

About 1,000 of the riders were delayed because of the accident, said Sgt. Steve Lewis, a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office spokesman.

Two other minor accidents were connected to the ride in Jefferson County, Sheriff Jeff Herrig said.

One person was taken to an area hospital with a cut after crashing on U.S. Highway 24/59 near Williamstown. Another motorcyclist crashed in Oskaloosa, Herrig said.