Speeding San Luis Obispo motorcyclist dies in crash on Highway 41 near Fresno, CHP says

A San Luis Obispo man died in a motorcycle crash Friday while speeding to pass other vehicles on Highway 41 near Fresno, the CHP said.

On Monday, the Fresno County Coroner’s Office identified the motorcyclist as Christopher Ortega, 57, of San Luis Obispo. He was killed around 2 p.m. on southbound Highway 41 near Harlan Avenue east of Riverdale, according to the CHP.

The CHP said Ortega was approaching slower traffic on 41 while riding a 2018 Kawasaki.

He was illegally passing vehicles at high speed in the center lane when he struck a concrete median wall, was thrown from the motorcycle and died at the scene, the CHP said.

The deadly motorcycle crash was one of two that occurred in separate nearby incidents south of Fresno on Friday.

The second incident occurred about 20 minutes later at Mount Whitney and Elm avenues, a short distance from the first fatal crash.

Traffic had slowed due to a detour from the first collision.

Yamaha rider Joe Madrid, 41, of Clovis was speeding and passing vehicles when he struck a pickup towing a trailer that had come to a stop, the CHP reported. Madrid also died at the scene.

This story was originally published August 29, 2022 at 6:01 PM.