Motorcyclist crashes into mortuary, dies

UNION-TRIBUNE BREAKING NEWS TEAM
ALBERT JOHNSON / For SignOnSanDiego

9:37 a.m. September 24, 2007

SAN DIEGO – A motorcyclist was killed early Monday morning when he crashed against a mortuary while trying to elude California Highway Patrol officers on city streets at up to 100 mph.

The predawn pursuit began shortly before 2:45 a.m. when two CHP officers spotted the 25-year-old rider speeding south down Euclid Avenue at 60 mph, said CHP Officer Brad Baehr.

The posted speed limit on that street is 35, Baehr said.

As the CHP unit made a U-turn and tried to catch up, the motorcyclist ran a stop light and turned west onto Imperial Avenue, reaching triple-digit speeds.

“He was looking over his shoulder. He was well aware of (the officers') presence,” Baehr said. “They were the only two vehicles out there.”

Seconds after crossing over Interstate 805, the fleeing motorcycle came to the first of two sharp S-curves on Imperial Avenue as it passes by the Greenwood Cemetery. There, the chase came to its deadly end.

“The motorcycle struck the curb, hit a mailbox and then a building. The rider was ejected,” said Baehr.
The motorcycle struck the Cypress View Mausoleum. The rider's body landed in front of the building, about 50 feet from his machine, said Baehr.

“The officers were attempting to stop him for excessive speed. We don't know why he ran or what the motivating factor was with that,” Baehr said.

The rider was a San Diego resident. The man's identity is being withheld by the Medical Examiner's office until his family can be notified

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