Merle McNeish, a 76-year-old resident of Renfrew, left his home Saturday morning, July 26, looking forward to participating in a motorcycle ride in Grove City.

Around 10 a.m., he was traveling north on Mercer Road in Center Township when he lost control of his bike, resulting in serious injuries, state police said. He was transported to Allegheny General Hospital.

“From what he can remember, there must’ve been some water on the road,” Chris McNeish, his wife, said. “It had rained that day, and he said he felt like he was hydroplaning. Then, he hit a dry spot and it just flipped him.”

She said he is currently in the intensive care unit and is recovering from 14 cracked ribs; a broken collarbone, scapula and nose; and several head lacerations.

“He’s in extreme pain, but he didn’t die,” she said.

As for his status, Chris McNeish said doctors were determining Wednesday whether or not he can be moved out of the ICU and into a regular room.

This crash was the one of two serious crashes around motorcycle events this weekend. During the Butler County Riding For The Cure, shortly after 1 p.m., a motorcycle veered off the road, resulting in the death of the passenger and hospitalization of its operator.

“So many people didn’t even know about (Merle’s crash),” Chris McNeish said.

Lynda Kerr, founder of Butler County Riding For The Cure, said that a friend of Merle McNeish told her about the crash before the Butler County event began.

“We all said a prayer for a fellow rider,” Kerr said.

This article was updated July 31, 2025 to indicate McNeish was on his way to a Grove City event. A previous version said he was going to Riding for the Cure.