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LIBERTY TWP. — Nearly two hours passed before the body of a motorcyclist trapped underneath a car in a fatal crash on Maud Hughes Road was removed in the first of two serious accidents involving motorcycles in Butler County.

Deputies and emergency crews responded at 7:54 p.m. Thursday, July 10, on Maud Hughes Road, where a motorcyclist traveling northbound on a 2001 Harley Davidson went left of center, hitting a 2006 Toyota Scion drivin by Stephen Grove, 20, of West Chester Twp., according to Butler County Sheriff's Sgt. Chuck Laymon.

The motorcyclist, identified as 52-year-old Walter Oelker of West Chester Twp., suffered a severe trauma and was unresponsive as emergency crews tried unsuccessfully to extricate him, Laymon said. A tow truck was used to lift the car off Oelker, who was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the sheriff's office.

About one hour later, emergency crews in Hamilton responded to a second motorcycle crash involving two vehicles at the intersection of Kenworth Avenue and Franklin Street in Hamilton.

There were two riders on the motorcycle; one man was flown by medical helicopter to an area hospital, said Hamilton police Sgt. Tom Kilgour.

The man, whose identity was not released, was conscious and alert, but the extent of his injuries were not known, Kilgour said.

Witnesses at the scene said the motorcycle had the right-of-way, traveling north on Kenworth Avenue, when an eastbound sport utility vehicle entered the intersection. A pickup truck traveling west on Franklin also was involved in the crash, police said.

Both crashes remain under investigation.

Staff photographer Nick Graham contributed to this report.