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Coroner identifies Alberta motorcyclist who died in crash near Ucluelet

Update The B.C. Coroners Service has identified a 31-year-old motorcyclist who died in a head-on crash with a semi-trailer truck on Sunday on the Pacific Rim Highway near Ucluelet.
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A motorcyclist, believed to be in his 30s, was heading east on Highway 4 when he collided with a tractor-trailer truck on Sunday afternoon.

Update

The B.C. Coroners Service has identified a 31-year-old motorcyclist who died in a head-on crash with a semi-trailer truck on Sunday on the Pacific Rim Highway near Ucluelet.

Jodi Aaron Rush, of Grande Prairie, Alberta, was heading east on Highway 4 toward Port Alberni when his motorcycle crashed with a truck. He died at the scene. His family has been notified.

Original story

A 31-year-old motorcyclist died in a head-on crash with a semi-trailer truck Sunday on the Pacific Rim Highway near Ucluelet.

The motorcyclist, who was from Alberta, was heading east on Highway 4 toward Port Alberni when the deadly crash occurred. He died at the scene. His family has been notified.

The fatal crash took place 28 kilometres east of the Ucluelet junction — where drivers go left to Ucluelet or right to Tofino — near Hydro Hill, which includes switchback turns.

Preliminary investigation results suggest the motorcyclist crossed the yellow line into the path of the truck driver, said RCMP Cpl. Mike Elston of Central Vancouver Island Traffic Services.

Other drivers appeared on the scene moments later, but it’s not clear if anyone else witnessed the crash.

There is no cellphone service in the area. Police estimate the crash happened at 2:30 p.m.

The motorcyclist’s speed and attention to the road will be examined, Elston said. The road conditions were dry at the time of the crash. The highway speed in the area is 80 kilometres per hour, but on the curve where the crash occurred, the advised speed is 40 kilometres per hour.

B.C. Coroners Service and a crash analyst were on the scene.

Highway 4 at Hydro Hill was closed for a few hours in both directions.

Cyclist Ralf Jarchow, 61, was killed on the same stretch of road on Sept. 24 last year after he lost control in heavy rain, crossed the centre line and slid into a pickup. The Ontario lawyer, who had a support vehicle with him, had been cycling as part of an 11-day charity ride from Calgary to Tofino.