State troopers are investigating a fatal collision involving a motorcycle and two other vehicles on U.S. 285 about 20 miles north of Fairplay. The Colorado State Patrol said the woman riding the motorcycle died at the scene Friday afternoon.
Highway Shut Down Between Mile Markers 203 and 210
According to The Denver Post, the crash closed U.S. 285 in both directions between mile markers 203 and 210, near Park County Road 62. Troopers responded to the scene at 2:44 p.m., and the rider died there, per the state patrol. The Colorado Department of Transportation said the highway remained closed as of 7:20 p.m.
Officials urged drivers to use alternate routes while the highway remained closed. The reopening time had not been determined, according to the report.
The Motorcycle Struck Two Vehicles
The Denver Post reported that the motorcycle struck an oncoming Lexus first and then a Toyota RAV4. Officials said neither driver was injured.
The Colorado State Patrol’s vehicular crimes unit is investigating the crash but has not yet determined its cause. The Park County Coroner’s Office is expected to release the rider’s name once next-of-kin notification is complete, though that identification has not yet been made public, as reported by WesternSlopeNow.com.
Colorado Motorcycle Fatalities in a 2022 Snapshot
A separate statewide snapshot offers context on motorcycle deaths, though it predates this crash: the Colorado Department of Transportation reported that 82 motorcycle fatalities had occurred on Colorado roads to that point in 2022, compared with 78 at the same point the prior year, a 5% increase.
The crash remains under investigation, and officials had not provided a full reopening time. Drivers traveling through the area were advised to check current conditions before using U.S. 285.
