[UPDATE 6:42 p.m.: Major Injury]Highway 299 Snarled Near Whiskeytown and Motorcyclist Injured After Head-On Crash with National Park Service Vehicle,
A motorcyclist was reportedly injured in a head-on collision with a National Park Service vehicle east of Whiskeytown Lake late this afternoon. The resulting accident scene is reportedly impacting all lanes of State Route 299 near the Whiskeytown Visitor Center. According to emergency personnel at the scene, the motorcycle ended up about 250 feet down a ravine.
The crash was first reported around 5:47 p.m. in the westbound lanes of Highway 299 just east of the visitor center. According to the CHP Traffic Incident Information Page, the collision involved a motorcycle and a white National Park Service pickup truck.
Initial but unconfirmed reports indicate the motorcycle may have attempted to pass another vehicle when it collided head-on with the park service truck, which was reportedly turning left at the time of the crash.
By 5:50 p.m., all lanes of traffic were reported blocked, with vehicles stopped in both directions. Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene, and the motorcyclist was reported injured.
As of about 6:25 p.m. though, both lanes are opened. However, traffic is moving slowly through in the area.
The extent of the motorcyclist’s injuries is not yet known.
Please remember that this story is unfolding. Information is being reported as we gather it. However, some of the information coming from witnesses and initial official reports could be wrong. We will do our best to get the facts but, in the case that something is inaccurate, we will update with correct information as soon as we can.
UPDATE 6:42 p.m.: CHP is now reporting this is a major injury crash.
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Why didn’t the park service truck just hear how cool the bike was and then decided not to make a left hand turn? The park service truck is obviously at fault and not the douchebag on the illegally loud bike.
Tell us your girlfriend dumped you for a biker without telling us
I am willing to bet the truck driver failed to use his turn signal
Motorbikes have bad luck in that stretch of 299.
The motorcyclist was in the roadway, but the bike went over the bank. I was there.
What color bike
WhT color of bike was it?
Sorry to read this news, I hope it becomes good news with the motorcyclist looking for recovery.
Sunny warm days are hard to ignore.
Ride carefully.
It sounds like the motorcycle rider was in the process of passing another vehicle when he hit the park truck. Just because the park truck was turning left, he should not be blamed for the accident. In my opinion it is the biker’s fault for making a poor choice as when to pass. He could have easily killed himself. If you are going to ride a motorcycle my advice to you is take a bike safe rider course.
If the park truck was turning left out of the visitor center, then he would be heading westerly on the highway just down the blind hill and curve. Since this happened just east of the VC, the only left would be into a turn out, and you know what isn’t allowed for at least 1/2 mile east? Passing. At all. It’s solid double yellow, not to mention single lanes both ways.
The only place to end up down the hill is by the first turn out going east where there’s a deep ravine.
There’s no passing allowed at all by the VC for pretty obvious reasons to anyone that’s ever travelled through there. It’s hairy enough trying to time traffic and play Frogger coming out of the Center parking lot as it is. If someone is zipping though there at 80, you won’t see them at all due to the hill and curve until they’re almost right in front of you.
Aerial.
You are absolutely correct with your comment. I just hope that he does survive his major injuries.