WALDPORT — A 27-year-old Toledo man was killed Thursday afternoon when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a truck pulling onto U.S. Highway 101 just north of the Alsea Bay Bridge and burst into flames.
Killed about 2:15 p.m. Thursday was Alex Gomez, according to a news release Friday by Oregon State Police.
Police said Gomez was going through the intersection of Highway 101 and North Bayview Road when James Semrau, 62, of Eugene was turning left from Bayview Road onto the highway. Gomez’ Kawasaki EX motorcycle struck Semrau’s Dodge Ram 1500 pickup and caught fire, police said.
An Oregon State Police trooper arrived on scene moments after the crash and extinguished the fire.
Gomez died at the scene; Semrau was taken to Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport with minor injuries, police said.
A GoFundMe campaign started by a friend of the family said Alex also uses the last name of Yanez, that he’s married and has three children ages 2-6.
The highway was closed or partially shut down for three hours during the on scene investigation, police said, but the cause of the crash is under investigation.
State police were assisted by Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies, the Seal Rock and Central Coast fire departments and the Oregon Department of Transportation.