A motorcyclist suffered severe injuries and burns from a fiery crash in Twentynine Palms Thursday morning. According to Sheriff’s Captain Trevis Newport, Sergeants Mauricio Hurtado and Tyson Niles spotted the man riding his motorcycle east on Highway 62 at a high rate of speed about noon. The rider pulled into a gas station and the deputies activated lights and sirens and attempted to block in the rider at the pump. However, the rider fled and drove eastbound on the highway at speeds estimated to be 80 to 100 miles per hour. The motorcycle rider ran the red light at Adobe Road and crashed into the rear of an SUV that was proceeding north through the intersection. County Fire Engineer Ryan Vaccaro said the impact of the crash threw the man and his motorcycle and they slid along the pavement for about 100 yards; the bike, which burst into flames, landed on top of the rider. Hurtado and Niles ran and pulled the rider out from under the burning motorcycle. The highway was shut down in all directions while first responders were on scene. The rider was taken to Hi-Desert Medical Center where his heart stopped, but doctors were able to revive him and he was flown by Mercy Air to Desert Hospital in Palm Springs. An arrest has not yet been made; the Sheriff’s Department will forward the case to the district attorney’s office for review.
Updated 10:30 a.m. with additional information.
Photographs: Aaron Comstock
