A bright Sunday morning turned into an absolute nightmare on a New York highway this past weekend. Karyn Stratton, a 55-year-old woman from Farmington, lost her life following a tragic two-vehicle motorcycle crash. The terrible wreck happened right in the Town of Marcellus around 10:10 a.m. on June 21, 2026.
Karyn was riding on the back of a 2014 Harley-Davidson motorcycle driven by her husband, Bruce Stratton. Bruce is well-known all over the state as a celebrated motocross champion. The couple was just enjoying a weekend cruise together when everything went wrong at a local intersection.
According to investigators, the couple was heading eastbound on U.S. Route 20. At the exact same time, an 18-year-old named Morgan L. Heise was driving a 2024 Subaru northbound on Slate Hill Road. Heise stopped at the intersection but then pulled out right in front of the motorcycle.
Police noted that Heise failed to yield the right-of-way to the oncoming bike. With nowhere to go, the Harley-Davidson slammed right into the Subaru. The force of the impact was so violent that it immediately ejected both Karyn and Bruce from their motorcycle.
First responders rushed to the scene at Route 20 and Slate Hill Road to help the downed couple. Emergency crews quickly loaded them into ambulances and rushed them over to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse. Doctors did everything they could, but Karyn eventually passed away from her severe injuries.
Bruce Stratton survived the crash but remains hospitalized. Hospital staff reported that his injuries are serious but fortunately not life-threatening. Meanwhile, police confirmed that the teenage driver of the Subaru walked away from the scene without any injuries.
Local folks and the tight-knit New York motocross community are absolutely devastated by the sudden loss of Karyn. Bruce has earned countless championships and respect over his long racing career. Now, the community is rallying behind him during this incredibly dark time. Police collision reconstruction teams are still looking into the crash. No charges have been filed yet.
