A well-known motorcycle charity event that raises money for children’s causes was marred Sunday by the death of two people, who were killed in a collision with a truck on the Golden State (5) Freeway.

The incident occurred along the 30-minute route of the annual Love Ride, a motorcycle event that began in Glendale, traversed part of the 5 Freeway, and ended at Lake Castaic in Santa Clarita.

A male motorcyclist and his female passenger died after hitting a big-rig truck on the northbound Golden State Freeway at Branford Street near Pacoima.

The two, believed to be in their 40s, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Ed Jacobs.

The fatal crash occurred whenthe couple encountered a patch of traffic snarled by another accident on the freeway, Jacobs said.

That accident – in which a motorcyclist was injured in a crash – was witnessed by City Councilman Mitch Englander and his wife, Jayne.

Englander, who was riding his Harley-Davidson in the event next to comedian Jay Leno, said he laid flares down around the motorcyclist and waited for paramedics. “To see someone injured like that, we were very shaken up,” Englander said.

The injured man was transported to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills and was accompanied by Leno, Englander said. His condition wasn’t immediately known.

The string of accidents cast a pall on the otherwise festive event, one that saw thousands of motorcyclists crowd into a cordoned-off San Fernando Road early Sunday morning to line up their bikes in anticipation of the ride.

Amid the rumbling of motorcycle engines, local rock band Max Mueller played, while enthusiastic riders compared bikes.

“I like this event because it’s one of the loudest events in Glendale,” Glendale Mayor Laura Friedman told the crowd, to a roar of approval.

At the end of the event in Lake Castaic, country duo Montgomery Gentry entertained the raucous group.

Founded in 1984 by Oliver Shokouh, owner of Glendale Harley-Davidson, the Love Ride is one of Southern California’s largest motorcycle gatherings. This year’s ride returned to Castaic Lake for the first time since 2006. Funds raised benefited Autism Speaks, a New York-based autism research and advocacy group.

About 2,000 bikers registered for this year’s event, according to organizers, who said the poor economy had flattened attendance.

At its height, Love Ride saw more than 20,000 riders flood the area. Two years ago, the event was canceled due to a drop in attendance.

And the economy is still hurting participation in the event, which charges a $65 entry fee, said Emily Vindeni, Shokouh’s daughter.

“Times are still hard for people,” said Vindeni, one of the organizers of the event. “It’s been hard to get the word out that it’s back.”

Bob Carrara, a Chatsworth resident and member of the Boozefighters club, a Los Angeles motorcycle club, agreed the crowds were smaller than in years past, but said that didn’t diminish enjoyment of the event.

“It’s nice to see people you haven’t seen in a while,” he said.

Still, moments before the race, numerous riders talked about the risks of taking part in the Love Ride.

The number of motorcyclists flooding the freeway can overwhelm nearby motorists, while not all bikers are trained to ride on major roadways, said

Paul Alfonso, a Northridge resident.

“There’s too many bikes,” said Alfonso. “It’s the most dangerous thing I do.”

“It’s scary,” agreed Carrara. “This many bikes, you get a lot of newbies.”

Accidents during the Love Ride are a common occurrence, CHP Officer Jacobs said. But he couldn’t immediately recall the last time a fatality occurred to either an event participant or a passer-by.

The laws regarding motorcycle accidents are complex and include many facets of the law.It is vital to surviving family members to seek the advice of an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer such as Gary A. Kessler at the Law Offices of Gary A. Kessler to protect your rights and those of your loved ones.

The California  motorcycle accident attorney Gary A. Kessler and the Law Offices of Gary A. Kessler are compassionate and fully understand that you are attempting to cope with extreme serious injuries associated with a motorcycle accident. Such accidents can lead to catastrophic injuries or even death. The Law Offices of Gary A. Kessler carefully selects its wrongful death and motorcycle accident cases so that we may give you (the client) the substantial personal attention necessary to obtain a successful result for your case.

Cause of the Interstate 5 Accident

If news accounts in the Los Angeles Daily News are accurate, the driver of the big-rig is likely  responsible for causing this accident. However, the accident is still under investigation by the California Highway Patrol and an official determination of the cause of the Los Angeles  County crash has not been made.

The Law Offices of Gary A. Kessler is prepared to front all costs required for a thorough investigation and top expert witnesses to prepare for the trial of your case. As in all motorcycle accident and serious personal injury cases, we advance all legal costs to prepare and present our client’s claim, and receive for our services only a percentage of what we recover for our attorney fees on their behalf. Upon settlement our costs shall be reimbursed to us from the gross recovery. If there is no recovery, no attorneys fees or costs are owed to our firm. Contact the Law Offices of Gary A. Kessler today so we can preserve the evidence and demand compensation and accountability from the responsible parties.

If you have been seriously injured or a family member has sustained fatal injuries from a motorcycle accident you need to contact the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler or another experienced law firm immediately to protect your legal rights and preserve the evidence.  The laws and time limitations can be complex so protect your legal rights by contacting the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler today.