MC member Don King has Passed Away

[Mike & Mel]

June 23, 2007

Two Hemet men dead in dune buggy crash
Two Hemet men died Friday night when the dune buggy they were in overturned, according to a Riverside County Fire Department press release.

Donald Wayne King, 47, and Michael Todd Wright, 39, were killed in the accident reported at 8:56 p.m. on Tripp Flats Road near Cary Road. a Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner's press release said.

The men had been wearing seatbelts, according to the coroner press release.
Authorities said the dune buggy overturned while going around a corner.

--Rocky Salmon
rsalmon@PE.com
____________________________________________________________

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and students. It looks as if he may have been returning from the Red Mountain Fire Lookout after sunset.

Don was the first MC member to aproach us on our first run at Lone Pine a few years ago to invite us on a late afternoon run up to Cerro Gordo. That and many other memories we will never forget. He was one of the nicest, most friendly people we have ever met.



Don behind his old white buggy on the way up to Cerro Gordo during the '05 MC Lone Pine Run.


Gene towing Don's blue buggy toward the end of the Saline Valley Run at this year's MC Lone Pine Run (Pic from Mojave Mel).


(Pic from Mojave Mel)

Rest in Peace my friend. We miss you.

[blackthree4me]

Quoet from Dale Earnhardt
If I were to be killed on the way to get a hair cut "that would be a tragidy"
pasing over to the other side while driving a buggy out of a mountain range thats a blessing.
our thoughts ,prayers and strength to move on,
goes out to all that mourn their loss.
buggy on dudes

[GregR]

What a shock..David and I met Don on ouir Lone Pine trip. We all certainly had a good chuckle with Don and his passenger after being towed by Gene. I only met him breifly, but he certainly seemed to be one of the good guys. This is truly a loss....

[David Head]

What a shock. Greg is right. What a superb guy. That smile on his face in the picture is priceless. It was taken after Gene Condon and I towed him 60 miles at about 50 miles an hour through the dusty desert. Don was truly a happy guy. He seemed to live life to the fullest. We will miss having a truly great person with us.

[GregR]

from a post by Mike & Mel on the DSB site...everyone please consider their safety when buggying.


"...apparently somehow they ran off the road and hit a cement berm. Don tried to get the buggy back under control, but as soon as they came back onto the asphalt, the buggy rolled. At some point the right rear wheel sheered off and when it went over, both the roll bar and windshield just folded over, offering no protection what so ever. It was a devastating scene. She did not have any other details as to what direction they were traveling or if it happened in the sweeping curve or somewhere else. She knows Don was a very careful driver, and doesn't think he would drive in any kind of a hurry. She feels that it might be related to his unfamiliarity of the road."

[Ken and Robin]

I don't think Kenny and I had ever met Don or Michael, but our thoughts and prayers go out to their family and friends. God Bless You.

Robin Morris