PALMDALE – A 37-year-old motorcyclist was killed Wednesday night when he collided with a pickup truck in Palmdale, authorities said.
The crash was reported around 6:04 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29, in the area of Division and Fantasy streets, said Det. Rowell Quemuel of the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station.
The man was riding a 2002 Kawasaki motorcycle south on Division Street approaching Fantasy Street when he collided with a pickup truck that made a turn in front of him, Quemuel said.
The motorcycle struck the front driver’s side of the truck and the impact caused the man to fly off the bike. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Quemuel said.
The 69-year-old driver of the truck was taken to Antelope Valley Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, Quemuel added.
The cause of the crash was under investigation.
UPDATE: The deceased has been identified as 37-year-old Christopher Reycraft of Palmdale, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office.
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Innocent Bystander says
To “ignorant automobile drivers who do not pay attention” ,
How you wish to call yourself is very indicative of your ignorance. It is a tragedy what happened and it is called an accident – NOT an “intentional”. Both families I’m sure are suffering at this time. How quickly you are to judge while hiding behind an anonymous moniker. You should never wish something ill of others karma is cruel and will teach a lesson.
What has been reported many times before are motorcycle drivers tend to drive faster than they should – knowing they are a small footprint and at times hard to see . We all have repeatedly seen/read/heard about stories and the term “Organ Donor” So why is there a jumping to conclusion this is the motorist fault. There is great risk to sit on two wheels and it should not be taken likely……
….The cyclist IF driving within a normal speed should have been able to avoid the motorist – from the scene there is a brake pattern indicating the speed was high…..
To the Editor and Author,
How IRRESPONSIBLE of you to print such a biased story- where is your ethical regard to the role you are to play. Unbiased reporting ???? I’m sure there is an on-going investigation and ALL parties are innocent until proving guilty. I will no longer read your paper and will post this on all my social media accounts. #Chiveon#badnews
There are a lot of bad comments made about the AV and this does not help, you should be above this and have standards. It is disappointing but unfortunately not unexpected from this type of newspaper.
George says
Bonehead…..a typical reaction time is 1.5 seconds from observing the problem and STARTING to do something about it. If you were going let’s say 45 MPH, you are going roughly 66 feet per second. If someone makes a turn from the curbline as you are approaching, it would be about 100 feet before you could even begin to do something to avoid the whole thing.
For you to think someone going the speed limit could somehow magically avoid all obstacles in their way is simply ignorant.
“The cyclist IF driving within a normal speed should have been able to avoid the motorist – “
Laughing says
Innocent bystander,
The article is only biased by the testimony of the officer that was interviewed. The reporter was very neutral.
Relative of the vehicle driver?You show a lot of bias in your long comment.
Kylie says
It is an accident, rediculous to wish someone would die! I am sure he feels terrible over causing this horrible tragedy
Halle Kowalewsky says
Chris was a dear childhood buddy to my brother Scott & I .A well liked kid, very charming , friendly individual now eternalized just like “Chris Chambers” from “Stand by me” very sad to hear My heart goes out to his family at this time. Godspeed my friend
-“shall fear no man but god; though I walk through the valley of death, I shed so many tears”
sharlene says
This is so sad. My sister was the fiance oof the deceased and I can not imagine what she is going through, or his family. It’s just heart breaking.
ignorant automobile drivers who do not pay attention says
Well I guess it’s time to say it truck driver making the illegal turn through his ass enjoy I hope he dies in his hospital bed
Tim Scott says
Sorry man, can’t go there.
I had a woman making a left turn pull right out in front of me. Technically, the turn she made was “illegal,” based on the fact that I had the right of way and couldn’t avoid her. But she wasn’t “making the turn through her ass,” she just missed seeing me coming. Somehow my car and the background and the sunlight tricked her eye. It happens.
When it happened to me I was in a car. It got totaled. But it gave its all in protecting me, as it was engineered to do, and I was pretty much unharmed. A motorcycle is a lot easier to not see, and will not give anything to protect the rider. It is also a lot more maneuverable so will avoid some accidents a car cannot get you out of. It is also certainly more fun, less expensive, and more stylish to drive than my old four door sedan.
These are the options available, and some people choose the motorcycle and others choose the four door sedan. We do not live in a society that forces everyone to make the ‘safest’ choice, or the ‘most fun’ choice, or the best choice for the public good. If we did we would all be driving identical little box cars that got great mileage and could be designed based on knowing ahead of time what sort of car you would be hitting in an accident.
No, we allow people their choices. People who ride motorcycles do so by choice. They should make that choice KNOWING that they are exposing themselves to greater risk because they ARE harder for other drivers to see and they ARE obviously exposed in a collision. That’s the known down side going in, and if they get in an accident that doesn’t make the other driver automatically into some evil villain.
Daily driver says
How about bikers watch out for cars I am sick of bikers taking my lane on the fwy. It’s my lane. I don’t have to share with cars do I ? Plus bikes always speed maybe he was speeding and the truck couldn’t tell I hope you die in your bed ingnorant fool. When u get on a bike you make the choice to leave the safety of an enclosed mode of transport plus bikes are hard to see idiot.