SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — An 85-year-old motorcyclist died Monday morning after a head-on collision on U.S. Highway 50 near South Lake Tahoe, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The fatal crash occurred at approximately 11:20 a.m. near Slippery Ford Road, a stretch of highway west of the South Lake Tahoe city limits that serves as a major gateway between the Lake Tahoe Basin and the rest of El Dorado County.
CHP investigators said the motorcyclist was traveling eastbound on Highway 50 when the rider drifted across the centerline and into the path of a westbound Lincoln Navigator. The motorcycle collided head-on with the SUV, causing fatal injuries. Emergency personnel pronounced the rider dead at the scene.
The driver of the Lincoln Navigator was not injured and remained at the scene to cooperate with investigators, according to CHP. Authorities have not publicly released the identity of the deceased pending notification of family members.
“It is unclear at this time whether alcohol or drugs were factors in the collision,” CHP officials said as the investigation continued.
The South Lake Tahoe CHP Area Office, which oversees traffic enforcement and collision investigations throughout eastern El Dorado County and Alpine County, is handling the investigation. Officials have not announced whether weather, medical conditions or roadway factors contributed to the crash.
For El Dorado County residents, the crash serves as another reminder of the risks motorists face along the Highway 50 corridor through the Sierra Nevada. The route experiences heavy seasonal traffic from residents, commuters and tourists traveling to and from the Lake Tahoe region.
Anyone who witnessed the collision or has information that may assist investigators is encouraged to contact the CHP South Lake Tahoe Area Office at (530) 539-9500.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Source: California Highway Patrol South Lake Tahoe Area Office; preliminary collision information released June 22.
