MARS, Pa. -- A motorcycle accident in Adams Township along Route 228 left one rider dead and another injured late Sunday afternoon.

Dennis Mitchell, 51, was pronounced dead at the scene while the other rider, Bob Kennedy, was hospitalized following the accident.

Witnesses of the accident say a minivan pulled out in front of a number of motorcycles that were on their way to the Mars VFW for a “Poker Run” benefitting 2-year old Cody Fend, a local child who is blind and currently in China.

No one riding inside the minivan was harmed.

Mike Mitchell, Dennis’ nephew, was a frequent motorcycle rider, but the accident has given him a whole new perspective on riding.

“I’m not going to ride ever again after this,” Mike said.

The mayor of Mars, Dick Settlemire, was a friend of Dennis Mitchell’s and grew up with him.

“We're second generation friends and what happened today was horrible and for such a noble cause because in our community people work their rear ends off just to help different causes,” Settlemire said. “For something like this to happen is just horrible.”

Kim Donnelly was another rider on the “Poker Run” and had nothing but good things to say about Dennis Mitchell.

"I was with those guys all day on this run. We had a lot of fun,” Donnelly said. “(Dennis Mitchell) was one of the greatest guys I've ever met."

Flowers have been placed along the road where the accident happened to memorialize the crash.