The California Highway Patrol has released the name of a motorcyclist who was killed Sunday afternoon in a crash on Highway 101 in Summerland.
Bruce Aaron Hoover, 53, of Newhall died in the wreck that occurred shortly before 1 p.m. in the southbound lanes just east of Evans Avenue, the CHP said.
Witnesses told investigators Hoover was in the right-hand lane, traveling about 55 mph, when he “appeared to pass out and slump over his motorcycle,” according to CHP Officer Jonathan Gutierrez.
He said Hoover then drifted across the left lane, struck the center-divider rail, and was ejected from the motorcycle.
He was declared dead at the scene, according to Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Department Battalion Chief Robert Kovach.
“At this point in the investigation, no drugs or alcohol are suspected in the cause of the collision,” Gutierrez said.
For more than two hours after the crash, the left lane of the freeway remained closed, causing heavy congestion for southbound freeway traffic, which was backed up almost to Las Positas Road in Santa Barbara.
The crash remained under investigation by the CHP.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.