Two motorists were killed in separate crashes in Central Oregon on Thursday night.
In Bend, a man apparently died on impact when his motorcycle slammed into the back of a pickup truck stopped at the intersection of U.S. Highway 20 and Northwest 27th Street at approximately 8:24 p.m.
Meanwhile, shortly before 10 p.m., Oregon State Police reported they were responding to a fatal crash on state Highway 126 about three miles east of Redmond, but said no other details would be available until today.
Bend Police Lt. Brian Kindel said witnesses indicated the motorcyclist was traveling south on 27th Street at excessive speed just before striking the truck. Kindel said he could not estimate the speed of the motorcycle, but noted a skid mark running from Forum Drive to about four car lengths behind the stopped truck, where witnesses indicated the motorcycle went down on its side and the rider came over the front. Both the rider and his motorcycle became lodged under the truck.
Traffic was interrupted at the intersection for approximately two hours.
Kindel said Bend Police expect they will be able to release the names of the motorcyclist and the driver of the truck sometime today.
— Bulletin staff report