Kelseyville >> Authorities confirmed this week that former Clearlake police chief Bob Chalk and his wife Marsha Chalk were the victims of a motorcycle crash on Aug. 1 and remain hospitalized in critical conditions.
The couple was thrown off of a 2010 Harley Davidson when they crashed into a tree riding westbound on Highway 175 at around 9:30 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP). For reasons yet to be determined, Bob Chalk lost control of the motorcycle on the narrow, winding highway approaching Salmina Road in Kelseyville. He veered off the north road edge and hit a tree, sending him and his wife flying off.
The victims were flown to an out-of-county hospital where CHP public information officer Kory Reynolds said Friday they remain in comas.
Investigators have yet to determine the rate of speed, but have confirmed that neither alcohol nor drugs appear to be a factor.
Chalk served as a law enforcement officer for 32 years, including 14 years as chief of police for the city of Clearlake and retired in 2007.
He began his career in law enforcement in 1975 with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. In 1981 he joined the ranks of the Clearlake Police Department as a patrol officer and was appointed chief in 1993. Before that, he was second in command for the CPD for nearly a decade.
As chief, Chalk established the Clearlake Community Patrol, which used community volunteers to assist with police services. He also established partnership with Konocti Unified School District to implement a school resource officer program.
