Members of the Warren County community this week are remembering John “JD” Sinclair, 43, of Warrenton, a local musician, community volunteer and former Warrenton police officer who died March 16 after being injured in a motorcycle accident.JD’s wife, Tanya R. Sinclair, 39, a paramedic with Warren County Ambulance District, was seriously injured in the crash and is recovering in the hospital, family and friends said.Les Cotner, a close friend of JD for more than a decade, said JD was someone who was always willing to help others.“He was a very good person, very friendly. He’d go out of his way to help you do what you needed,” Cotner said. He played with JD in the band Mind Spin and volunteered together with him for the Warren County Fair Association.JD tried to be very active in the community, Cotner recalled. He coached youth football while he and Tanya’s four sons were younger. As a member of the Fair Board, he helped wherever he was needed, especially with music, the beer garden and various events at the fairgrounds, Cotner said.Paul Owenby, president of the Warren County Fair Association, said JD will be sadly missed.“The guy never knew a stranger. He helped anybody and everybody,” Owenby added.Warren County Ambulance Deputy Chief Darren Lenk said Tanya and her family are doing as well as can be expected in this situation. He said ambulance district staff have been regularly visiting her in the hospital.In addition to her work as a paramedic, Tanya is also a member of the Warren County Fair Association, and is the instructor for the Warren County EMS Explorers educational program.Tanya’s sister, Malissa Bearden, said Tanya suffered multiple broken bones, at least one of which will require several surgeries and prevent Tanya from walking for months.“It’s going to be a long road for her,” Bearden said. “She has months and months of therapy ahead of her.”The outpouring of support from people in the community and even neighboring emergency districts has been amazing, Bearden said, and that she hopes people will continue to keep the families of JD and Tanya in their thoughts.Bearden has organized a GoFundMe website fundraiser to help Tanya and her family with medical and living expenses while she recovers. Over $9,000 had been raised for the Sinclair family as of Wednesday, March 20. The GoFundMe page is titled “Please help Tanya through this tragedy.”Family and friends will hold a Celebration of Life service for JD Sinclair at 2 p.m. March 23 at the Jaycee Pavilion in Union City Park in Union.A motorcycle ride in honor of JD Sinclair (with cars and trucks welcome) is planned for April 13, starting at noon at the Lions Club in the Warren County Fairgrounds. Any donations or proceeds from activities during the event will go to the Sinclair family for medical and living expenses.Following JD’s passing, friends and others in the community are reminding drivers to watch carefully and be aware of the motorcyclists sharing the road with them.Motorcycle accidentJD and Tanya Sinclair were riding a motorcycle westbound on Veterans Memorial Parkway when the crash occurred at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 16, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.A preliminary crash report indicates the Sinclairs were struck at the intersection with Stracks Church Road by a northbound Chevrolet Monte Carlo that failed to yield at the intersection. The driver of the Chevrolet, Timothy W. Tallevast, 27, Jonesburg, did not have injuries, according to the patrol.The crash caused both motorcycle riders to be ejected from the vehicle, the patrol said. They were both flown to Mercy Hospital St. Louis with serious injuries. JD Sinclair died of his injuries about four hours later, according to the patrol.

Tanya and John "JD" Sinclair

Submitted photo