An investigation is underway after a Blue Plate Restaurant Company co-owner was struck and killed by a driver while on a motorcycle over the weekend. Officials say an illegal maneuver by the motorist — and alcohol — played a role in the death.
The Freehouse — one of the restaurants owned by Blue Plate — announced on social media that David Burley “passed away in a motorcycle accident” Sunday afternoon in Wisconsin. All Blue Plate locations in the Twin Cities closed Monday to “give our teams time to grieve” the “overwhelming” loss, the restaurant said.
According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, the fatal crash occurred on westbound Interstate 94 near Hudson around 2:48 p.m. Officials said the driver of a 2011 Infiniti G25 was in the right lane and “attempted to overtake traffic by using the right shoulder,” but hit the guardrail. The collision sent the vehicle back into the right lane where it struck Burley’s motorcycle. Both the car and motorcycle crashed into the median concrete barrier.
The motorcyclist, identified as 58-year-old Burley of Minnetonka, was taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul where he died of his injuries.
The driver of the car, a 33-year-old Brooklyn Park man, was also hurt in the crash, but is expected to live. He was also taken to Regions.
The state patrol says the car driver drank alcohol before the crash and could face charges pending an investigation. Further details have not been released. He was also not wearing a seat belt. The investigation remains ongoing.
Blue Plate restaurants include The Freehouse, The Lowry, 3 Squares Restaurant, Longfellow Grill, Edina Grill, Groveland Tap and Highland Grill. They are all located in the Twin Cities area.
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