Published: June 17, 2008 04:00 am         

Motorcyclist dies, passenger survives

A motorcyclist died Sunday after an accident in Afton, but his passenger survived, state police at Sidney said Monday.

Kenneth Wicks died of head and chest trauma, said Dr. John Cruz, Chenango County medical examiner. Emergency crews tried to resuscitate Wicks but couldn't because of the seriousness of the injuries, Cruz said, and Wicks was declared dead at the scene.

Troopers said the 6:11 p.m. accident happened when the motorcyclist was cresting a hill on Oak Hill Road in the town of Afton.

The motorcyclist tried to stop to avoid another vehicle by applying the brakes, troopers said, and the passenger jumped from the motorcycle. The motorcycle and its driver skidded and collided with each other, authorities said.

Cruz said the motorcycle landed on top of Wicks, who was wearing a half-sized helmet. Cruz said Wicks had urged his passenger _ his wife _ to ``bail out.

``He took quite a spill,'' he said. ``It's another sad story.''

The female passenger had scrapes and was taken to Wilson Memorial Regional Medical Center in Johnson City.

The state police report didn't include names or a cause of the accident, troopers said, and the investigating trooper was off duty Monday.

According to an obituary, Kenneth `Milo' Wicks was 38. He lived in East Meredith and is survived by his wife, Nisha, and son, Elias Francis. Wicks graduated from Harpursville Central School and attended Cazenovia College.

He learned blacksmithing and renovated many homes, the obituary said, and he enjoyed fly-fishing and riding his motorcycle.