A 66-year-old dirt bike rider died Wednesday night after colliding head-on with another rider on Dry Creek Trail behind Edgebrook Drive, just before 10 p.m. in near-total darkness. A 48-year-old man involved in the same crash was hospitalized with moderate injuries, and the investigation into what led two motorized bikes onto the trail remains ongoing.
According to CBS Sacramento, Modesto police said a group had been riding dirt bikes on the trail between Moose Park and Thousand Oaks Park when two riders crashed head-on in the dark. Witnesses began CPR on the 66-year-old before officers arrived, and officers took over lifesaving efforts once they reached the scene. The man was taken to a hospital, though authorities have not released his identity. Separately, a Modesto Police Department Facebook post places officers' response to the crash scene, behind the 900 block of Edgebrook Drive, at approximately 9:53 p.m. on October 7.
Lead Investigator Appeals for Witnesses
Police have asked anyone with information about the crash to come forward, and Officer Blakeslee is listed as a contact, per the department's social media post. The crash investigation remains ongoing, and no further details about what preceded the head-on collision have been released. Among the open questions for investigators: whether the dirt bikes had functional headlights, what speeds were involved, and why the group was riding the corridor so late at night.
A Trail Built for Walkers and Cyclists, Not Motors
Dry Creek Trail is designated as a Class I multi-use paved bikeway in Modesto's Non-Motorized Transportation Master Plan, a category describing bicycle travel on a paved right-of-way separated from streets or highways, according to the City of Modesto. California Vehicle Code Section 21720 addresses pocket bikes. City park regulations separately restrict general public park access to hours between dawn and dusk, per the City of Modesto's published park rules.
Whether the bikes involved in Wednesday night's crash were equipped with working lights has not been addressed in public statements from police.
Community Group Monitors the Corridor
The Dry Creek Trails Coalition, a local volunteer group, has a mission focused on the Dry Creek corridor, according to the coalition's Facebook page.
Pattern of Fatal Crashes in the Region
Wednesday's fatal collision adds to a string of recent fatal crash investigations handled by Modesto police. Hoodline previously reported that a driver was booked on a murder charge after fleeing a fatal bike hit-and-run earlier this month. It also reported a fatal crash on Claus Road and police shutdowns of major corridors.
