Mokelumne Hill, CA – A three vehicle pileup takes the life of a Merced man while riding his 2004 Harley Davidson motorcycle this weekend on Highway 49.
The accident happened just south of Big Bar Road in the Thirteen Curves area of the highway. The CHP reports that 62-year-old Kirk Silveira was northbound when for unknown reasons he crossed into oncoming traffic. It struck the back end of a 2013 Ford driven by 60-year-old Karen Jensen of Sloughhouse then smashed head-on into a 2007 Toyota with 29-year-old Irina Katko of Orangevale behind the wheel.
Silveira was ejected from the motorcycle and was pronounced dead at the scene. Jensen and Katko were not injured. The CHP indicates that it is unknown at this time if drugs and/or alcohol were a contributing factor in this collision and are awaiting the results from an autopsy toxicology report.
The CHP is asking for anyone who may have witnessed the wreck to call the San Andreas office at (209) 754-3541.
This post was last modified on 10/03/2017 6:56 pm
Written by Tracey Petersen.
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