May 7, 2017 – At approximately 4:10 PM this afternoon, a 61 year-old male from Eureka was riding a 2005 Honda Shadow motorcycle eastbound on SR-20, west of Wild Turkey Ln. He was wearing safety gear, including an approved motorcycle helmet.
Based on a preliminary investigation, he was riding at a high rate of speed, well in excess of the posted 55 MPH maximum speed limit. As he negotiated a sweeping right curve in the roadway, he unsafely allowed the motorcycle to cross the double-yellow lines, traveling 3-4 feet into the oncoming lane.
A Dodge Ram pickup truck was being driven westbound through the curve and was unable to take evasive action to avoid a collision. The motorcycle struck the left front of the pickup truck head-on, ejecting the male rider and completely detaching the wheel assembly from the left front of the pickup. The male rider was briefly airborne and struck the front of the pickup truck, ultimately landing on the ground. The pickup stopped a short distance away.
The male rider of the motorcycle was pronounced deceased at the scene due to major, blunt force trauma. The driver of the pickup truck, a 73-year old Grass Valley resident, received minor injuries due to the damage caused to the left/driver-side of the vehicle and windshield. He was treated at the scene by emergency medical personnel and released;
CHP is handling the ongoing investigation. It is unknown whether drugs or alcohol contributed to the collision. The identity of the driver is being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin out of the area.
One lane of SR-20 was intermittently closed during the investigation. Other agencies responding to this incident were the Penn Valley Fire Protection District, the Nevada County Sheriffs Department, and the Sierra Nevada Ambulance service.
Very sad day for his kids. What a loss, talented and loved.