A 70-year-old St. Louis man died Saturday afternoon after his motorcycle veered off northbound Route 21 and struck a tree in Jefferson County, according to troopers. The crash happened around 3:15 p.m. south of mile marker 180.2 in High Ridge, ejecting the rider, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Troopers said the man was riding a Yamaha Royal Star Venture motorcycle and was in the process of changing lanes when the bike drove off the left side of the road. According to the KSDK report, the motorcycle then slid sideways before striking the tree, throwing the rider from the bike. He was pronounced dead at the scene, per a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report cited in the same account.
A Second Deadly Crash on the Same Highway
The Saturday fatality came weeks after another deadly wreck on Highway 21. A Sunday-night crash on Highway 21 killed a DeSoto man and injured two other people, as reported by FOX 2.
That crash involved a Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and a Hyundai Tucson, the station reported. The Kawasaki struck the rear of the Jeep, and the impact sent the motorcycle across the center line, where it collided with the front of the Hyundai. The Hyundai's driver suffered serious injuries, while a passenger in that vehicle sustained moderate injuries, according to the same report.
Motorcycle Fatalities a Persistent Share of Missouri Crash Deaths
The back-to-back crashes underscore a pattern tracked statewide. Motorcycle fatalities represent approximately 10 percent of all Missouri highway deaths each year, even though motorcycles account for roughly 2.6 percent of all registered vehicles in the state, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Neither crash's full report details could be independently confirmed beyond what troopers and the two outlets have released so far. No further information on potential causes, additional witnesses, or possible charges has been disclosed in either case.
