UPDATE: Motorcyclist Killed in Crash on Southbound Hwy 101 in Petaluma

Updated at 4:45 p.m.

A motorcycle rider died when he tried to avoid stopped traffic on southbound U.S. Highway 101 in Petaluma and was run over by a big-rig this morning, a California Highway Patrol sergeant said.

The motorcyclist, identified by the Sonoma County coroner’s office as 31-year-old Rohnert Park resident Lucas Gallanty, was in the carpool lane near Petaluma Boulevard North around 7:05 a.m. when traffic stopped because of a previous collision, CHP Sgt. Al Capurro said.

Witnesses said Gallanty was driving extremely fast when he moved to the right and hit the rear right side of a Lexus SUV in the middle lane, ejecting him from the motorcycle, Capurro said.

Gallanty was thrown into the No. 3 lane and was run over by the big-rig. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Capurro said.

The collision closed the two right lanes of the highway and traffic moved slowly past the scene in the carpool lane, Capurro said.

The lanes re-opened around 9 a.m.

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Original story

A motorcyclist died in a crash on southbound U.S. Highway 101 in Petaluma this morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The crash was reported around 7:05 a.m. near the Petaluma Boulevard North off-ramp from southbound Highway 101.

A motorcycle and SUV were involved in a collision and the motorcyclist was killed, CHP Officer Kevin Bartlett said.

The crash was blocking the No. 2 and 3 lanes of southbound Highway 101. All lanes have since been reopened.

Traffic was heavy and there was thick fog in the area, CHP officials said.

--Bay City News Service, photo via Shutterstock