A summer ride along one of Wayne County’s scenic highways ended in tragedy Wednesday when a 59-year-old German man was killed in a single-motorcycle crash on State Route 24.
On June 17, the rider was traveling on SR-24 near milepost 89 when his Harley-Davidson went off the roadway, and he was thrown into a guardrail. Troopers pronounced him dead at the scene, and the highway was shut down for about an hour while investigators worked the crash. Authorities say they are still trying to determine what caused the motorcycle to leave the road.
According to KSL NewsRadio, the Utah Highway Patrol identified the rider as 59-year-old Udo Hubert Jumpers. Troopers told the outlet that the motorcycle failed to negotiate a curve near milepost 89, went off the right side of the road, and the rider was thrown into the guardrail. They said he was wearing a helmet and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the motorcycle involved was a Harley-Davidson.
Where the crash happened
State Route 24 runs across central Wayne County and is described as a scenic but winding corridor that draws heavy tourist and recreational traffic during the summer months. Portions of SR-24 are currently under improvement work, including bridge and paving projects that can change traffic patterns and narrow lanes. The project page lists lane restrictions and temporary signals for SR-24, according to the Utah Department of Transportation.
Motorcycle safety in Utah
Motorcyclists are overrepresented in Utah’s traffic deaths, and state safety planners track those fatalities as a core performance measure. The state’s triennial highway safety plan highlights motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users as priorities for data-driven safety countermeasures, according to the Utah Highway Safety Office.
Investigation ongoing
Troopers with the Utah Highway Patrol are still investigating the crash and have not released information about possible factors such as speed or impairment. As reported by KSL NewsRadio, SR-24 reopened after roughly an hour once investigators cleared the scene.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact the Utah Highway Patrol. Non-emergency phone numbers and media contacts are posted on the Utah Highway Patrol website.
