DON RICH Crash kills Don Rich of Buckaroos Don Rich, who played lead guitar and sang harmony for Buck Owens' band, the Buckaroos, was killed in a motorcycle accident Wednesday night in Morro Bay, the California Highway Patrol in San Luis Obispo said today. Rich, 32, whose legal name was Donald Eugene Ulrich, was riding his motorcycle north on Highway 1 in Morro Bay when his vehicle struck a raised center divider at Yerba Buena Street and he was thrown to the ground. He was dead on arrival about 11 p.m. at San Luis Obispo hospital. The highway patrol said there was no indication why the motorcycle hit the divider. There was neither mechanical malfunction nor skid marks, investigating officers said. His widow, Marlene, was at the coroner's office this morning on the coast making arrangements to have Rich's body returned to Bakersfield. Hal Laffoon, newscaster for Buck Owens' radio stations, told The Californian this morning Rich - whom he described as "a mainstay of the band and having a bubbly personality" - was en route to meet his wife at San Simeon for a fishing trip at time of his death. He had left Bakersfield Wednesday afternoon, added Laffoon, who also said Owens for years had asked Rich not to ride his motorcycle and "pleaded" with the guitarist not to go on it to the coast. Before joining the Owens group in 1961, Rich played guitar at many clubs in the Bakersfield area and made numerous appearances on the old Cousin Herb Show. In addition to the widow, Rich is survived by two sons, Vick and Vance. The family home is at 301 Angell Street.
