A Santa Maria man was killed Wednesday afternoon after his motorcycle rear-ended a slow-moving vehicle on northbound Highway 101 near Spyglass Drive in Pismo Beach.
According to California Highway Patrol Sgt. Danny Koetsier, traffic began to slow around 12:30 p.m. just north of the Spyglass Road off-ramp. The driver of a three-wheeled motorcycle appeared to have failed to react in time to a small passenger vehicle in front of him, Koetsier said.
The motorcycle rear-ended the car, and the motorcyclist was ejected onto the road.
The driver of the motorcycle, who the CHP said is approximately 60 years old, appeared to be wearing a helmet.
Passengers in the rear-ended vehicle were not injured.
At 1:30 p.m., the motorcyclist’s body remained in the slow lane of the highway, covered by a yellow tarp, as northbound traffic was diverted around the scene in the bicycle lane.
Traffic in both directions of the freeway was backed up for several hours. CHP, Pismo Beach police, Cal Fire and Caltrans personnel remained at the scene collecting and documenting evidence and controlling traffic.
CHP is investigating the crash, but drug or alcohol impairment is not believed to have played a factor in the crash, Koetsier said.
The identity of the motorcyclist will not be released until his family has been notified, authorities said.
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— Matt Fountain is a staff writer at the San Luis Obispo Tribune. Contact him at mfountain@thetribunenews.com.
— Matt Fountain and Nick Wilson are staff writers at the San Luis Obispo Tribune. Contact them at mfountain@thetribunenews.com andnwilson@thetribunenews.com. Tribune staff reporter AnnMarie Cornejo contributed to this story.
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