Published: July 21, 2008 11:43 pm      

Church service ends on crash

Crossroads pastor recovering after losing control of motorcycle

A Kokomo pastor is recovering after crashing a motorcycle during a Sunday church service.

Jeff Harlow, senior pastor at Crossroads Community Church, 4254 S. 00 East-West, was beginning the service around 11 a.m. Sunday when he lost control of a motocross dirt bike and inadvertently drove it off the church stage into the first row of seating.

Harlow suffered a broken wrist, a laceration on his head that required staples and various bruises. There were no other injuries reported.

Harlow was treated and released for his injuries Sunday afternoon, but his broken wrist required additional surgery Monday afternoon.

Harlow had successfully completed the same service Saturday night and earlier Sunday.

The service centered around an upcoming church series which focuses on “becoming one.”

According to his wife, Becky Harlow, Jeff had recently attended a motocross race at Red Bud, a motocross racetrack located in Buchanan, Mich., and was inspired by how the bikers became one with their bikes.

“He had this idea that he would bring this bike out on stage and show people how the rider would become one with the bike,” she said from a local hospital Monday afternoon while her husband underwent surgery to repair his broken wrist. “He was going to just sit on it and drive it out. He was just walking the dirt bike out on stage and somehow it got away from him. It was not intended. It went fine Saturday night and the second service was absolutely perfect. We’re still not sure what happened.”

The church stage is approximately 5 feet above the main level.

“I was sitting in the front row,” Becky said. “He came off of the platform just pretty much headed right at me. As he came off the platform we locked eyes, he leaned to the right, I leaned to the right, and he landed the bike not in the seat next to me, but the next seat over.

The seats where the bike crashed were empty.

“I think there were three doctors in that service and I don’t know how many RNs. They took charge and wouldn’t let him get up until the rescue workers arrived.”

The bike did not shut off immediately following the crash.

“It was still on and stuck on full throttle,” Becky Harlow said. “It was spinning.”

Jeff Harlow is expected to make a full recovery, and services at Crossroads Community Church will continue as scheduled.

“Jeff has already laughed a lot, so he’s OK. I think his pride was bruised,” Becky Harlow admitted.

“It was scary. Nine times out of 10, there are people sitting right there where he hit, but there was not [Sunday]. It was a miracle. That was God looking out for us.”