WEST JORDAN, Utah, May 13, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — A 33-year-old man died late Saturday night after his motorcycle hit an obstacle on Bangerter Highway causing him to lose control of the bike.
West Jordan Police Officer Scott List told Gephardt Daily the fatal crash happened at about 11 p.m. as the man, identified as Craig Schmidt, of West Jordan, was southbound on Bangerter.
At 8900 South, Schmidt encountered a pallet on the road, and he either didn’t see it or was unable to avoid hitting it.
List described the motorcycle as a “big bike” and said it went down, taking its driver with it. A helmet, presumed to be Schmidt’s, was found on the roadway.
When police and medical personnel arrived, they rushed the injured man to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray.
“He was communicating at first,” List said, “but sometimes people have internal injuries…he succumbed either at the hospital or on the way there.”
Officials remained on scene for several hours and will continue their investigation as they follow up with witnesses, List said. He added that there was no indication of impairment and the weather wasn’t a factor.
“I’ve been riding a motorcycle for years,” List said, “and it’s dangerous. Especially at night. You have to have appropriate lighting, and it’s still very dangerous.”
As for the pallet that apparently led to a man’s death Saturday night, no one reported seeing it fall from a vehicle and police don’t yet know where it came from.
“Make sure your stuff is tied down,” List said. “This accident didn’t have to happen.”
