A Modesto motorcyclist died Monday night in a crash with a pickup carrying live bees in their beekeeper boxes on Highway 108 about 2 miles west of the junction with J-59 La Grange Road, the Sonora Area CHP said Tuesday morning.
The crash happened about 9:50 p.m. Monday when Ronald Ray Woods, 62, of Oakdale was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado across westbound Highway 108 from the Rushing Hill Lookout Road turnaround, the CHP said in a statement. Woods had a number of beekeeper boxes in the back of the pickup.
The Modesto motorcyclist, age 67, was riding a 2003 Harley-Davidson Road Glide west on Highway 108, approaching Rushing Hill Lookout Road turnaround at an undetermined speed, the CHP said.
As Woods drove across westbound Highway 108, the front of the Harley-Davidson struck the passenger side of Wood’s pickup.
The motorcyclist came off his motorcycle and died of his injuries at the crash scene, the CHP said. Woods remained at the crash scene and called 911. Woods was not injured.
The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, which remained under investigation. The CHP said Monday morning it was unknown if drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash.
At least one of the beekeeper boxes cracked in the crash, and some of the bees were agitated in the aftermath of the crash, CHP Officer Steve Machado said in a phone interview. The agitated bees did not disrupt the crash investigation, and no one was badly stung by the agitated bees, Machado said.
Sonora area CHP urged anyone who saw what happened before the crash or has any other information about the crash to call the Sonora area CHP office at (209) 984-3944.
