Motorcycle Rider Dies After Hit By Alleged Street Racer

A man is dead and another is in jail after a suspected street racing crash on Friday night. The crash happened near 51st St. and Memorial Dr. where a car collided with a motorcycle.  

Tulsa police said the motorcyclist is 51-year-old Thomas Jalbert. Jalbert died at the hospital.

Residents who work and live around the area said they have had enough of street racing. 

"They will come off that light and race down here at 80-100 miles per hour," business manager Steve Burley said.

Burley is the manager of Meineke Car Care on Memorial Drive.  He said his parking lot is filled with street racers almost every weekend. The racers not only vandalize his business but put others’ lives at risk. 

"It’s not good,” Burley said. “We pull in and out. Our customers pull in and out, and we don't want to die because someone wants to go fast.” 

“It's not a good idea on city streets. A lot of streets are not made for that type of racing,” Sergeant Brian Collum said. “It puts a lot of people in danger and it’s ridiculous.” 

Collum said the street racing is most prominent in the summer but has started even sooner this year. 

"Typically, we boost our patrols out there every summer to kind of tone it down a little bit and prevent that stuff,” Collum said. 

Burley said he just wants the street racing to stop. 

"If they want to do that, there are places they can go to do this legally,” Burley said. 

Police said Jalbert was not wearing a helmet. 

Winters is in the Tulsa County Jail charged on suspected second-degree manslaughter and driving without a license or insurance.