CENTERVILLE — A man involved in a road-rage motorcycle crash has died, and police here have forwarded their case to the Davis County Attorney's Office to determine any possible charges.

Michael Rakes, 50, died Thursday at University Hospital from injuries sustained in the crash.

Centerville Police Lt. Paul Child said the crash happened about 9 p.m. on Sept. 4 near 100 North and 500 East.

"Michael Rakes was riding a motorcycle with his 10-year-old son and crashed after pulling alongside 32-year-old Kris Prinster, who was in a black Mazda," Child said in a statement Friday. "Rakes became upset with Prinster after she threw a cigarette out of her driver side window. The cigarette was not thrown at Mr. Rakes, nor did it hit him or anyone else, according to witnesses."

Police said at the time that Rakes pursued Prinster's car to yell at her, driving in a lane designated for left turns only.

"Evidence of minor contact between the two vehicles was observed on the left rear quarter panel and tire of the Mazda," Child said Friday. "Markings on the roadway show that the motorcycle was in the turn lane and was within a few inches of the line separating the turn lane and the northbound lane."

There is no physical evidence to suggest the Mazda was in the left lane. Rakes' wife, who was on another motorcycle behind her family, claims the Mazda swerved in her husband's direction just prior to the crash.

"Kris Prinster said that she was afraid for her safety and was only trying to get away from the motorcycle and claims that she did not intentionally swerve," Child said.

Rakes was flown to University Hospital with serious head injuries. He had given his helmet to his 10-year-old son, who suffered only an ankle injury and abrasions.

All of the paperwork and information collected in the case so far has been turned over to the county attorney's office, Child said.

"As far as we're concerned, we think we've done as much as we can," he said. "The only evidence we have on any charges on the driver of the Mazda is that she threw a cigarette out the window. There's no evidence she intentionally swerved in his direction. The evidence supports Mr. Rakes was driving in a lane not designated for through travel."

Prinster's brother, Mike Prinster, said his family has been in agreement with everything they've seen posted in the police reports so far. He said the cigarette toss was nothing more than "unfortunate timing" and was "nothing intentional."

However, he said Friday was a time to focus on Rakes.

"Our sympathy and condolences are with (Rakes' family) and everybody that has been involved," he said.

Child said his office was continuing to work with the county attorney on the investigation. Both sides were waiting, he said, to see what would happen with Rakes' condition. He declined to say Friday what his department recommended to the county attorney's office when they turned their case over to them.

"Right now they are reviewing it," he said. "The fact it is a fatal accident now changes the complexion of the incident, but the facts remained the same."

---

E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com