Troy man dies after motorcycle accident near Bull Lake Road

A Troy man died on Aug. 20, five days after colliding with a deer on his motorcycle on Montana 56.

Ronald Kitchens, 55, of Troy was flown to Kalispell Regional Medical Center on Aug. 15 after crashing into a deer around 11 p.m. on Bull Lake Road near mile marker 29. He died on Aug. 20 as a result of the injuries sustained in the crash.

Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Brian Thorne said another driver was behind Kitchens and witnessed the accident.

“She just said she saw him swerve real quick and saw him go off the side of the road,” Thorne said.

According to the accident report, Kitchens was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. Thorne said alcohol is not a suspected factor in the incident.

“The hospital said there were no indications of alcohol,” Thorne said. “It was just a bad deal for him. Wrong place, wrong time.”