San Jose motorcyclist dies after hitting car abandoned on Highway 17
The crash happened before sunrise Sunday in Scotts Valley.
SCOTTS VALLEY — A San Jose man was killed Sunday when his motorcycle hit a car that had been left on Highway 17 after an earlier crash.
According to a release from the California Highway Patrol’s Santa Cruz unit, its officers responded around 5:20 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, to a crash on northbound Highway 17 north of Santas Village Road.
The initial crash was that of a gray 2012 Nissan 370Z: It veered off the roadway and hit a sign and a call box on the east shoulder, then came to a stop in the left northbound lane, the CHP said. The driver got out and fled the scene.
Shortly afterward, the 37-year-old San Jose man on a black 2025 Yamaha motorcycle hit the unoccupied Nissan and was thrown to the roadway. After lifesaving efforts, he was declared dead at the scene.
The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, the CHP said.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, according to the release, and it is unknown if drugs or alcohol was a factor. The identity of the Nissan’s driver was also unknown, and the public’s assistance has been requested in gathering information about the crash.
Those with information are asked to call the CHP in Santa Cruz at 831-219-0200 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After hours, calls can be made to the CHP’s Monterey communications center at 831-796-2160.
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