WC man pleads guilty, faces 10 years in prison ‘A violent crime that could have been avoided’
M.K. French
Farmer Staff Writer
A man from North Dakota has admitted guilt for a devastating motorcycle crash during the 2024 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally that left a female pedestrian with a major brain injury.
Robert Shipp, 37, of Watford City, pleaded guilty on Friday to one count of Vehicular Battery in connection with the Aug. 10, 2024, incident at the Buffalo Chip Campground. The plea was announced by South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, with Shipp now facing a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The vehicular battery charge stems from an incident, previously covered by The Farmer, where Shipp was operating a motorcycle and struck a woman, causing her to suffer a severe and long-term brain injury. According to an earlier report, the victim, Aaften Westbrock, has remained in an unresponsive state.
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