Friends and family of the Gilroy man severely injured in a motorcycle-versus-vehicle accident Jan. 6 are establishing a public fundraising campaign to help pay for the rising medical costs of Andrew Burgess, 59.
Details on how to donate will be published as soon as they are finalized.
As of Friday, Burgess – an Army veteran and former sergeant with the Hollister Police Department – was in critical but stable condition. Doctors previously put him in a medically induced coma to help with brain swelling resulting from major trauma to his skull, a “good portion” of which has been removed on the left side, according to close friend Doug Fudge, who is acting as the family’s spokesperson.
Fudge said Burgess has been off pain and coma-inducing medication for several days now and that he has been unconscious since the accident. Burgess also suffered multiple hairline fractures to his pelvis and face and continues to be cared for at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.
Fudge, a Hollister resident, describes Burgess as “lovable, easy-going” and “one of your best friends.”
Burgess has two children – a daughter who lives in Virginia and a son in the Army at Fort Hood in Texas – and a wife who is “understandably shaken, but it is difficult to pry her out of the hospital,” Fudge said.
The crash occurred in front of Kachy Produce, located at 8655 Monterey Road just north of Leavesley Avenue. It caused Monterey Road between Ronan Avenue and Pierce Road to shut down for roughly four hours while the Gilroy Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team took over the scene.
Santa Clara County emergency medical personnel, Gilroy firefighters and police responded to the incident after 22-year-old Dulce Hernandez-Aguilar of Gilroy pulled out of the grocery mart’s parking lot and collided with Burgess, who was southbound on Monterey Road at a high speed, according to GPD Sgt. Chad Gallacinao. Burgess was airlifted to a Bay Area trauma center.
Aguilar, who was behind the wheel of a Mitsubishi sedan, appeared inconsolable and was in visible shock after the accident. She was tended to by EMS personnel, who transported her to a nearby medical center. Aguilar was not injured as a result of the collision, according to a GPD press release.
“The factors leading to the cause of the collision are currently under investigation. The investigation will determine what caused the collision and if intoxicants may have contributed to the collision,” the press release states.
Fudge said Burgess retired from police work about nine years ago following painful complications from a tumor found growing in Burgess’ spine. He is currently employed by a security firm in San Jose.
Anyone who has information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Officer Rene Arbizu at (408) 846-0350. Parties wishing to remain anonymous may call WeTip at 1-800-782-7463 (1-800-78-Crime).
