A man died at the scene Monday evening after a truck turning left onto Ruskin Drive struck his motorcycle near Airport Road and South Academy Boulevard in Colorado Springs. Officers found him in the roadway when they arrived, and he succumbed to his injuries before help could save him.
According to the Gazette, Colorado Springs police were alerted to the crash at 5:17 p.m. The motorcyclist had been traveling westbound on Airport Road when the truck, attempting its left turn onto Ruskin Drive, collided with him. The driver stayed on scene and cooperated with investigators, and the newspaper reports that the inquiry remains ongoing.
Early indications suggest the crash may not have been caused by common high-risk factors. The Gazette reported that investigators do not believe impairment or speed played a role in the collision, though the investigation has not been concluded.
Road Closures Followed the Crash
The collision prompted a shutdown of a major stretch of roadway during evening traffic. KRDO reported that Colorado Springs police received calls about a crash involving a truck and a motorcycle around 5:15 p.m. Monday, and that both directions of Airport Road were closed between South Academy Boulevard and South Murray Boulevard as crews worked the scene, according to KRDO. That outlet's report similarly noted that speed and other impairments were not considered a factor at the time of its coverage.
Part of a Rough Stretch for Local Riders
Monday's crash is the latest in a string of fatal motorcycle wrecks around Colorado Springs in recent months. In early September, a motorcycle driver died after a crash on East Platte Avenue, with a preliminary investigation finding that the eastbound motorcycle struck a sedan that was trying to turn west onto that street, per KRDO. In early October, a motorcycle rider died following a single-vehicle crash on a Friday night, with the Colorado Springs Police Department's Major Crash Team investigating what led up to that incident, as reported by KKTV.
The pattern tracks with a broader statewide trend. The Colorado Department of Transportation says 2024 saw a record-high 165 motorcycle fatalities on Colorado roads, a toll the agency flags on its motorcycle safety page.
No further details about the Airport Road crash have been released, and the investigation into Monday's fatal collision continues.
