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SLO man killed in motorcycle crash on Highway 41 near Fresno

August 30, 2022

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

A San Luis Obispo man was killed Friday in a motorcycle crash on Highway 41 near Fresno, which was followed minutes later by another fatal motorcycle collision. [Tribune]

Christopher Ortega, 57 was riding a 2018 Kawasaki on southbound Highway 41 near Harlan Avenue east of Riverdale. At about 2 p.m. Ortega was illegally passing slower vehicles at a high speed in the center lane when he struck a concrete median wall, according to the CHP. The impact of the collision threw Ortega from the motorcycle, and he died at the scene of the crash.

A separate fatal motorcycle crash occurred about 20 minutes later a short distance away from where Ortega died. Joe Madrid, 41, of Clovis was speeding on a Yamaha and passing vehicles as traffic had slowed because of a detour from Ortega’s accident.

Madrid then struck a pickup towing a trailer that had come to a stop, according to the CHP. The Clovis man also died at the scene.


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Prayers to the family of the deceased. My Dad was almost killed on 2 wheels as a kid. Now my 17yr old wants one and my signature is all he needs. Any suggestions from the CNC readers?


0

Have your 17 yr old take and pass the Motorcycle Traffic Safety Course. At the very least, that will give the basics of handling a bike correctly. Make sure he/she also attends the advanced class later, for more intimate riding techniques and skill set.


Then tell him/her, that with the first ticket, they are written out of the will…


5

Thanks to record high gas prices, many inexperienced people turned to the less costly motorcycle. Accidents like these are only going to increase throughout the year :/


5

Excessive speed and dangerous driving kills. Unfortunately, Hwy 41 and 46 are loaded with dangerous drivers and there is no cell phone covrerage on those routes.


Best to avoid Hwy 41 and 46E like the plague.


Fortunately, there are safer routes to access I-5 NB from Paso Robles.


5

Umm…you gotta use 46 or 41 to get to I-5. Sure, you can go 58, but that’s not any safer.


0

I would say 58 is safer due to the lack of traffic.

Why not take a much less travel road?


0

Riders. You are not Superman, especially when speeding and passing illegally.


Ride like your Grandma is seated behind you, and you are invisible to all other drivers.


Riding is cool. Getting dead for stupid reasons, is not.


33