Motorcyclist Dies After Crash on Empire Grade Near UC Santa Cruz

Overview

• A 21-year-old Pescadero man on a 1999 Harley-Davidson collided with a southbound 2025 Dodge Ram 2500 towing a flatbed on Empire Grade north of Heller Drive.
• The rider suffered major injuries, was flown to Natividad Medical Center in Salinas, and was later pronounced dead.
• The 46-year-old Ben Lomond man driving the pickup was not injured, according to the California Highway Patrol.
• CHP reports the motorcyclist wore a helmet and the truck driver wore a seat belt, and investigators have not determined whether alcohol or drugs were factors.
• The Santa Cruz County Sheriff-Coroner is withholding the victim’s identity until relatives are notified.