A 24-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a head-on collision in Winchester caused by a woman who allowed her pickup to drift into oncoming traffic, authorities said Friday.
The fatal collision happened around 6:25 p.m. Thursday on Washington Street just north of Benton Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Officer Mike Lassig said the victim, identified only as a Murrieta man, was riding his 2016 Yamaha southbound on Washington at an unconfirmed speed at the same time that the pickup driver, identified only as a 22-year-old Hemet woman, approached from the opposite direction in her 2009 Ford Ranger, going about 30 miles per hour.
“For reasons which are under investigation, the driver steered the Ford to the left into oncoming traffic, directly into the path of the Yamaha, resulting in a head-on traffic collision,” Lassig said.
The motorcyclist was thrown from his bike onto the pavement, suffering catastrophic injuries.
Lassig said the victim taken to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar, where he died a short time later.
The pickup driver was transported to the same facility for treatment of minor injuries and was expected to fully recover.
“Drugs and alcohol are not suspected,” Lassig said.
Anyone with information was asked to contact the CHP Temecula office at 951-466-4300.