Woman killed in 3-vehicle crash on Highway 46 identified

A woman who was killed when the motorcycle she was riding collided with two cars on Highway 46 has been identified as Harley Nicole Lujan, 27, of Porterville, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The crash happened just before 6 p.m. on Sept. 16, when 30-year-old Ryan Pavone of Porterville was riding a 2016 Harley Davidson motorcycle east on Highway 46 west of Arbor Road at 65 mph, according to the CHP. Lujan, his passenger, was sitting behind him on the motorcycle, the CHP said.

As the motorcycle approached the rear of a Nissan parked on the right shoulder, it drifted over the solid white line of eastbound Highway 46 and onto the shoulder, causing the front of the motorcycle to crash into the left rear bumper of the car, the CHP said.

The impact threw Lujan from the motorcycle, while Pavone and the motorcycle slid northeast, the CHP said.

At the same time, 49-year-old Brian Terrizzi of Templeton was driving a 2010 Ford westbound on Highway 46, west of Arbor Road.

Terrizzi couldn’t avoid the motorcycle as it slid toward him, and the motorcycle crashed into the left side of the Ford, the CHP said.

Lujan was killed due to blunt force trauma, and Pavone was taken to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo with major injuries, the CHP said.