This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A long-planned Blessing of the Bikes ceremony for motorcycle enthusiasts became a grief-filled memorial on Sunday, as hundreds converged to mourn seven bikers killed in a devastating crash with a pickup truck.

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About 400 motorcyclists gathered in Columbia, New Hampshire, for the ceremony, which is periodically held but acquired special meaning in wake of the accident on Friday involving members of the Marine JarHeads, a motorcycle club that includes US Marines and their spouses.

“When they fall, we all fall,” said Laura Cardinal, vice-president of the Manchester Motorcycle Club, adding that bikers will support the families of those who died. “Those families, they’re going to go through a lot now. They have a new world ahead of them.”

Authorities identified the deceased bikers as Michael Ferazzi, 62, of Contoocook, New Hampshire; Albert Mazza, 49, of Lee; Desma Oakes, 42, of Concord; Aaron Perry, 45, of Farmington; Daniel Pereira, 58, of Riverside, Rhode Island; and Joanne and Edward Corr, both 58, of Lakeville, Massachusetts. All were members or supporters of JarHeads.

This is one of the worst tragic incidents that we have investigated here in the state Chris Wagner, New Hampshire state police

A pickup truck towing a flatbed trailer collided with the group of 10 motorcycles around 6.30pm on Friday on US2, a two-lane highway in Randolph, a tiny North Woods community. The pickup truck caught fire and witnesses described a “devastating” scene as bystanders tried to help the injured amid shattered motorcycles.

Sunday’s Blessing of the Bikes was initially expected to draw 100 or 200 people. Such ceremonies are a way to bless riders and their bikes for a safe season. The Rev Rich Baillargeon presided, blessing the bikes using a branch dipped in holy water as they filed by. Baillargeon held a moment of silence and prayer for those who died in the crash.

The tragedy left the close-knit motorcycle community in shock, with many remembering their own close calls on the road.

“Seven people. C’mon. It’s senseless,” said Bill Brown, a 73-year-old Vietnam veteran and motorcyclist who visited the accident scene to put down flags. “Somebody made a mistake, and it turned out to be pretty deadly.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A photo provided by Miranda Thompson shows the scene where several motorcycles and a pickup truck collided. Photograph: AP

Gary and Sheila Judkins came from Sumner, Maine in part because of the crash, saying they felt it was a way to feel connected to other riders.

“It’s a positive thing for bikers. And if anything, bikers need something positive,” Gary Judkins said.

The Blessing of the Bikes ceremony took place an hour to the north of the accident.

Members of the motorcycle community had already begun organizing help for the victims’ families, said Cat Wilson, who organizes a motorcycle charity event in Massachusetts and is a friend of some of the crash victims.

Investigators identified the pickup driver as Volodoymyr Zhukovskyy, 23, an employee of Westfield Transport, a company in Springfield, Massachusetts. He survived, did not need to be hospitalized and had not been charged, authorities said. A man reached by phone who identified himself as Zhukovskyy’s father said his son was cooperating with the investigation and was back in Massachusetts.

Dartanyan Gasanov, the owner of Westfield Transport, told the Boston Globe he planned to talk to investigators and had been unable to reach Zhukovskyy.

The National Transportation Safety Board is among agencies investigating. Authorities asked for the public’s help in the form of videos, photos or other information about the accident or the vehicles involved.

“This is one of the worst tragic incidents that we have investigated here in the state,” New Hampshire state police col Chris Wagner said. “It’s going to be a very lengthy investigation.”

Republican governor Chris Sununu ordered flags to fly at half-staff on Monday in honor of the victims. State police said three people were taken to hospitals. Two of them were released on Saturday and another was in stable condition.