A 21-year-old motorcyclist from Preston, Idaho, died Friday after colliding with a southbound semi-truck that was swinging wide into the opposite lane to make a right turn on State Street. The crash happened just before 1 p.m. near 3600 South, closing a stretch of the road for nearly three hours as investigators worked the scene.
According to Gephardt Daily, the incident happened at 12:47 p.m. The semi-truck driver, a 65-year-old man from Newton, Utah, was piloting a 2016 Kenworth pulling double trailers south on State Street when he moved into the northbound lane to complete a wide right turn. The young motorcyclist, riding a 2006 Kawasaki VN900 southbound behind the rig, tried to pass on the right at that same moment, and the two vehicles collided.
The motorcyclist was rushed to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries, the same report states. The truck driver was not reported injured, according to Cache Valley Daily, though that outlet noted he was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
Conflicting Reports on Helmet Use
Accounts of the crash diverge on one key detail. The Idaho State Journal reported the motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, while the same Gephardt Daily account cited above stated he was not wearing one. Hoodline could not independently resolve which version is accurate, and no further clarification has been issued.
East Idaho News, which first reported on the crash, also covered the collision in detail, noting the roadway was blocked for 2 hours and 48 minutes while crews investigated and cleared the scene. Idaho State Police confirmed in a news release that the fatal crash occurred on State Street near 3600 South in Preston and said the case remains under investigation, per the agency's own statement on its website.
A Deadly Pattern on Idaho Roads
The Preston crash adds to a troubling trend for young riders in Idaho. The state recorded 47 motorcycle fatalities in 2024, a 17.5% jump from the year before, according to data reported by dnews.com. In 2025, fatalities were highest among riders 20 and under, with 13 deaths, followed closely by riders ages 21 to 24, who accounted for nine deaths — a bracket that includes the Preston victim.
The same transportation data cited by dnews.com found that roughly 70% of fatal motorcycle crashes in Idaho over a five-year span were attributed to the motorcyclists themselves, while about 20% were blamed on other vehicles. Formal training remains rare among riders statewide — only about 18% had completed a motorcycle safety course over that same period.
This year's riding season has already proven dangerous. During Idaho's 2026 100 Deadliest Days of Summer, 13 fatal motorcycle accidents claimed 15 lives, according to newsradio1310.com. That same report noted no fatal motorcycle-versus-semi-truck crashes during that summer stretch, though two riders were injured attempting to pass a semi near the Oregon border.
Similar Crashes Beyond Preston
Just five days before the Preston crash, a similar tragedy struck near Richmond, where a 53-year-old Logan man died and two others were injured, as reported by Cache Valley Daily. And earlier this month, a 22-year-old Baldwinsville, New York, motorcyclist died after attempting to pass a tractor-trailer before colliding with a pickup truck, according to The Trucker. That investigation, like the one in Preston, remains ongoing.
