Update: Fatal motorcycle crash in South Jordan closes Bangerter Highway at 9800 South.

Police are at the scene of a fatal motorcycle crash on Bangerter Highway in South Jordan late Friday afternoon, April 17, 2020. Photo: Gephardt Daily/Monico Garza/SLCScanner

For an updated story, click here.

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah, April 17, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Police are at the scene of a fatal crash involving a motorcycle late Friday afternoon.

The motorcycle was the only vehicle involved in the crash, which occurred shortly before 4 p.m., in the area of 10300 South and southbound Bangerter Highway, South Jordan Police Sgt. Sam Winkler told Gephardt Daily.

Winkler said Bangerter is closed at 9800 South, and the crash is under investigation. He said the cause of the accident is still unknown.

Winkler said witnesses on scene reported that a motorcycle rider lost control and was thrown off the bike.

Medical personnel arrived and the rider, the only person on the bike, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Traffic in the area was stopped because of a red light at 10400 South, Winkler said, and for unknown reasons the motorcyclist locked up his motorcycle and was thrown off. He wasn’t wearing a helmet and sustained severe head trauma.

Winkler repeated that traffic is stopped at 9800 South, and officers are trying to divert traffic to Mountain View Highway or Redwood Road as far north as possible.

He said officials anticipate being on scene until possibly 7 p.m.

“The valley is getting very congested with more and more intersections and drivers not paying attention to what’s going on around them, although that did not come into play (in this case),” Winkler said.

“We would ask motorcycle riders to please consider using a helmet — it may be what saves your life.

“Based on the evidence, it looks like he locked up his tires and swooped off to the left onto the shoulder, and that’s when he was thrown off. Multiple witnesses reported that’s what happened.”

Winkler said it’s crucial for all motorists in general to be aware of stopped traffic on any of the roads.

“It’s time to put those distractions away. Time to quit looking at our phones, time to quit doing stuff inside of our cars.”

Winkler reiterated on scene that a helmet might have saved the motorcyclist’s life in this case, and he said that although there is less traffic in the city, just as in the rest of the state, officers are still doing speed enforcement.

He said an officer earlier stopped a driver who was doing 90 mph on Bangerter, which has a posted speed of 60 mph.

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