A fatal motorcycle accident claimed the life of a local resident in Pinole. According to the Pinole Police Department, 46-year-old Colin Batchelder was involved in a solo collision last Saturday evening.
Responding to a call at about 8:00 PM, Pinole police officers and emergency services found Batchelder unconscious on the sidewalk, with his motorcycle nearby at the St. Joseph Parish Center building. The officers initiated life-saving efforts and then continued by Contra Costa Fire and AMR, but Batchelder passed away at the scene. The accident transpired on San Pablo Avenue near Oakridge Road, where the motorcycle had collided with utility boxes after hitting the curb.
The Pinole Police Department has initiated an investigation into the cause of the accident. Their preliminary findings, fortified by witness statements, indicate that Batchelder was traveling eastbound in the #2 lane of San Pablo Avenue when he hit the curb west of the Oakridge Road intersection. Upon losing control, the rider was ejected, and both he and the motorcycle were propelled through the intersection before coming into contact with the utility boxes and, eventually, the building.
While the precise factors behind the collision remain uncertain, the police have not ruled out the possibility of speed, alcohol, or drug involvement. The police department expressed their deepest sympathies, "Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of the motorcycle rider," as they mourn the loss of Batchelder. They are urging anyone with information regarding the collision to contact Officer Eubanks at 510-724-1111.
