After suffering a compound leg fracture at a party in North Rose in May, Lynda LaForce recently returned home following two surgeries and rehab. She expects her recovery to take six months to a year.
LaForce, an Ontario resident, told the Times of Wayne County on Thursday that she sustained the injury when she was struck by a motorcycle being operated by Joseph Premo of North Rose. Premo was arrested for DWI/BAC with a blood alcohol level of .13% and was additionally charged with No Helmet, Operating a Motorcycle With No License and No Inspection.
LaForce disputes the report that was provided to the Times after the incident, which stated that she was struck by part of the muffler from her car after the motorcycle hit the car. She indicated that the motorcycle’s tire is what struck her leg.
“I know what hit me, I saw what hit me,” LaForce said.
Sean Ridley of Williamson said he witnessed the incident and, according to him, the motorcycle’s front tire hit LaForce’s leg and then slid under her car, knocking off the muffler.
“We were kind of just sitting around having a good time and this Joe character had to hop-start his motorcycle,” Ridley explained. “I don’t know if they were leaving the home or what they were doing, showing off or what not.
“He went up the road and came back through, and I heard it revving real loud. I looked up and he’s scooting down the road really fast and skidding. He initially bounced off of his truck and careened right into Lynda’s car, kind of at a 45-degree angle. I see him go flying up over the car and Lynda go down.”
LaForce said that Ridley came over, held her leg and told her not to move. When she finally looked down, she said that she saw two bones sticking out her leg, her fibula and tibia.
“By the time the officer got there, the motorcycle had been moved and that’s pretty much all I remember,” she added.
LaForce was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester where she underwent emergency surgery to put the bones back in place and then another to insert a plate and stabilizers.
“When you come out of surgery, you think you’ll be all doped up, but I wasn’t,” LaForce said. “They wake you up and I literally felt everything they did. I begged and cried, and I was a total mess because it hurt so bad.”
State Police recently also charged Premo with felony Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree, Wayne County District Attorney Chris Bokelman confirmed on Friday. Bokelman said that police decided to add that charge after receiving information about how serious LaForce’s injuries were as a result of Premo’s drunk driving.
“He may not have meant it, but he did it – he was out of control and he was drunk,” LaForce said. “When you’re drunk, you need to take responsibility for your actions. I want him to be punished for what he did.”
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