A motorcyclist suffered major injuries Thursday night after his Harley Davidson slammed into a parked big rig on Ragsdale Road near Desert Center, according to authorities. The rider, identified only as a 48-year-old man, was rushed to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs following the crash, which happened shortly after 9 p.m.
The collision occurred where Ragsdale Road meets State Route 177, as reported by MyNewsLA.com. The motorcycle, traveling at an unconfirmed speed, collided with a Freightliner truck-tractor hauling a trailer that was parked along the roadway. Authorities investigated the scene Friday as they worked to piece together what led to the crash.
What Dispatch Records Show
A CHP dispatch log obtained from chpbigrig.com described both the big rig and the motorcycle as positioned on the right-hand shoulder, noting the truck was parked when the collision happened. The entry was later updated from a routine traffic-collision call to one reflecting major injuries, per the dispatch record.
Beyond those dispatch notes and the attribution from the California Highway Patrol cited by the same outlet, no detailed collision narrative has been made public. The cause of the crash remained unknown at the time of reporting, and the article notes that DUI was not suspected as a factor, according to the CHP.
Rider Taken to Palm Springs Hospital
The extent of the rider's condition beyond major injuries has not been disclosed. He was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs for treatment, the same account states, and no further updates on his status have been released.
Another Deadly Crash Near Desert Center This Year
The remote stretch of highway around Desert Center has seen serious truck-related crashes before. In March, a semi-truck overturned on westbound Interstate 10 near Red Cloud Mine Road, killing a passenger and injuring the driver, according to KESQ. The CHP determined that Freightliner had drifted right, struck a guardrail, left the roadway and descended onto Red Cloud Mine Road. The driver managed to self-extricate and suffered moderate injuries before being airlifted to Desert Medical Center, while the passenger was pronounced dead at the scene and has not been publicly identified.
