Biker dad: Father killed in motorcycle crash, children need help

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) –  It was a terrible accident that police are still trying to piece together even weeks later. A man and woman riding a motorcycle slammed into another man on I-40 near Sycamore View in mid-April. Police say 21 year-old Sergio Gomez was in the middle of the highway trying to retrieve a doghouse that had fallen off a truck.  Police say that’s when 32-year-old Jimmy “Cliff” Mackey, who was driving a 2013 Suzuki motorcycle crashed into Gomez. Both were pronounced dead on the scene. A 23-year-old woman, Jennifer Cunningham,  riding on the motorcycle, was transported in critical condition to the Regional Medical Center. Days later police shut down I-40 and other highways with the gruesome task of searching for body parts.

Cliff Mackey’s friends and family aren’t sure how this all happened more than a month later. They aren’t sure how he and the young woman met, why they were on I-40 just then, or who is at fault. I checked with police today and their investigation is still incomplete. But the family and friends are sure of one thing, they want to help the two children Mackey left behind. They’re hoping Mackey’s love for motorcycles will pave the way to help those children. According to pages dedicated to a fundraiser this weekend “(Cliff) said that he was at peace while riding, but as proud as he was of that bike, he was the most proud of his children, James and Emaleigh.” So June 6th his friends and family are holding a benefit ride for James and Emaliegh. The hope is to raise enough money to send them to college.  “Cliff may be physically separated from his family,” the page says “but he will always be with us in spirit. He now joins his younger sister Amanda, and is in total peace at last. His children and remaining family will cherish his memories forever–those big hugs and laughs especially.”

Here’s a link to the family’s fundraising page http://www.gofundme.com/udxqas

Here are the details on the ride, according to the facebook event page:

June 6th at 11 AM we will be having a poker run benefiting Cliff’s Kids. Cliff was in a motorcycle crash that caused him to loose his life from a object and person being in the roadway at I-240 and sycamore view.

It will start at Bumpus HD, Memphis, have several stops to include off the hoof, the Shelby Forrest general store, and the Haystack on HW 51, and end at Hard Rock Memphis where they are working on parking bikes  in front of Hard Rock on Beale.

There will be a band and silent auction at Hard Rock and we will party till they shut us down! 

We will start at Bumpus Harley Davidson on Whitten Road and continue on to Off the Hoof in Arlington on Highway 70. We will travel to The Haystack on Highway 51 and to the Shelby Forest General Store, before arriving at our final destination Hard Rock Cafe Memphis at 126 Beale.

Be careful out there, and please follow me on social media.

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Chris Best is the Assistant News Director for WMC Action News 5. He’s a husband and father of four, He’s also a motorcycle enthusiast.

Biker dad: Father killed in motorcycle crash, children need help