A Saturday afternoon ride ended in tragedy at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and 24th Street in Sunset Beach, where a motorcycle collided with a car, according to the Newport Beach Police Department. The rider, a 28-year-old man from Cerritos, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Orange County coroner's office.
The crash was reported at 2:36 p.m., and a witness told the California Highway Patrol that a man dressed in all black was thrown from a blue motorcycle and landed on the right-hand shoulder. Investigators say a white Toyota Camry exited a parking lot onto southbound PCH and struck the northbound BMW motorcycle, and the Toyota driver remained at the scene. For the investigation and cleanup, the transition from the eastbound Garden Grove Freeway to the northbound Santa Ana Freeway was closed and did not reopen until 5:16 p.m., as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Investigators' initial findings
Newport Beach and state investigators say the account so far is preliminary as they continue to process the scene and interview witnesses. Crashes in which a vehicle moves into a motorcycle's path, often when a driver turns or pulls out, are a common and deadly pattern; according to NHTSA, nearly half of fatal two-vehicle motorcycle crashes in 2023 involved the other vehicle turning left while the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking.
What we know now
Authorities have not released the rider's name and have not said whether anyone will face charges. The Orange County coroner was summoned to the scene, and investigators say the probe remains active, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
