Crime & Safety
Coroner IDs Motorcyclist Killed In Ortega Highway Weekend Crash
The Orange County motorcyclist was heading eastbound on the winding highway when he crashed into the side of the mountain, CHP officers say.
LAKE ELSINORE, CA —The Riverside County coroner's bureau identified a 66-year-old Tustin motorcyclist who was killed over the weekend in an Ortega Highway crash.
Christopher McCartney of Tustin sustained fatal injuries in the Saturday morning crash as he headed eastbound on the 74, roughly two miles west of Grand Avenue, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Lassig.
"McCartney was riding his 2014 Triumph motorcycle at an undetermined speed when he approached a right-hand curve in the roadway," Lassig said. "For unknown reasons, he failed to safely negotiate the curve and traveled off the road, striking the mountainside. He was ejected off of his motorcycle, causing major injuries."
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No other vehicles were involved.
Riverside County Fire Department paramedics reached the location less than 20 minutes later and pronounced McCartney dead at the scene.
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It was unknown whether alcohol or drugs may have been factors in the crash, and the coroner's bureau will conduct an autopsy in this case, according to Lassig's report.
Anyone with information was asked to contact the CHP's Temecula office at 951-466-4300.
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