Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, were forced to briefly pause their bus tour in Georgia after a member of their motorcade was “seriously injured” in a motorcycle crash, police said.
The incident unfolded Wednesday night on Interstate 516 in Savannah, WJCL reported.
According to local authorities, Corporal David Bates lost control of his motorcycle and wiped out around 7:20 p.m. He was rushed in critical condition to Memorial Health University Medical Center, where he continued to recover on Thursday, police said. He has since been labeled in stable condition.
A photo from the scene shows a pair of police officers huddled over the injured motorcyclist as his blood pooled in the street.
Bates did not hit anyone or anything else. Police said he was the only person injured in the crash.
“The Savannah Police Department is supporting Corporal Bates and his family as he begins his recovery from injuries sustained in this vehicle accident,” Chief Lenny Gunther told the news station. “We will be by his side every step of the way.”
The Secret Service on Thursday said it was “aware of an incident that occurred during a motorcade movement yesterday.”
Members of the press following Harris told TMZ the bus stopped for a few minutes before continuing onward.
“The movement was not affected by the incident,” said Frederick Houston, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Atlanta Field Office. “We are thankful for the support of our law enforcement partners and wish Corporal David Bates a full and speedy recovery.”
It’s not clear what exactly caused Bates to crash at this time.
Prior to the incident, Harris and Walz made a campaign stop at Sandfly BBQ, where they chatted with patrons and sampled some food.
“This is not a political post, restaurants don’t vote,” Sandfly BBQ wrote alongside a series of photos on Instagram, all of which feature a beaming Harris. “But it’s not everyday the Vice President of the United States comes into your business.”
