Toledo, OH — May 2, 2025, Bradley McClure was killed following a motorcycle versus truck accident at approximately 11:10 a.m. along Upton Avenue.

According to authorities, 55-year-old Bradley McClure was traveling on a southbound motorcycle on Upton Avenue at the Monroe Street intersection when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that a forestry truck that had been trying to turn left at the intersection at the time of the accident. Preliminary reports state that, for as yet unknown reasons, a collision took place between the motorcycle and the truck. It is unknown, at this point, which vehicle had the right-of-way the the time of the wreck.

McClure reportedly sustained critical injuries due to the collision. He was transported to a local medical facility by EMS in order to receive immediate treatment; however, he was ultimately unable to overcome the severity of his injuries, having there been declared deceased. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a motorcycle collides with a turning truck at an intersection, especially one that results in the rider's death, it's easy to assume the motorcyclist must have been speeding or weaving through traffic. But assumptions like that can get in the way of what’s actually important—finding out who had the legal right-of-way and whether either party failed to follow the rules that are supposed to keep everyone safe. I’ve seen too many of these cases turn into blame-the-rider situations before anyone takes the time to gather real evidence.

In left-turn crashes, the turning vehicle usually has the legal duty to yield unless they’re clearly protected by a traffic signal. So if the forestry truck was turning left across the motorcyclist’s path, the main question becomes whether the driver had a green arrow or was trying to beat oncoming traffic during a flashing yellow or solid green. Without knowing what the traffic signals were at the time—and without eyewitness accounts or intersection camera footage—it's impossible to know for sure who was in the right.

Another issue that can't be ignored is visibility. Motorcycles are smaller and easier to overlook, especially at busy intersections. But that doesn’t excuse drivers from watching carefully before turning. Was the truck driver keeping a proper lookout? Did they scan the road before starting the turn? Were they in a hurry or distracted by something in the vehicle? These are the kinds of questions that matter when trying to figure out how the crash came about—not just from a legal standpoint, but from a safety perspective.

And while we often talk about commercial 18-wheelers, utility and municipal vehicles like forestry trucks come with their own risks. They’re heavy, slow to maneuver, and often operate in areas where traffic is heavy and unpredictable. Drivers of these vehicles are expected to exercise a higher level of caution because the consequences of their mistakes are amplified.

Getting to the bottom of a crash like this means asking the right questions and refusing to stop at surface-level explanations. Serious wrecks deserve serious investigation, not assumptions. Understanding who had the right-of-way, whether the turn was safe, and whether the truck driver followed protocol is key to figuring out what might have happened. Getting clear answers to these questions is the least that can be done to help those affected find the clarity and closure they deserve.