Columbia man dies in solo motorcycle crash in Waterford

A 53-year-old Columbia man died Saturday following a single-vehicle wreck in Waterford, the California Highway Patrol reported. Officers responded to the incident on Highway 132 and found the rider deceased at the scene.

The collision occurred around 2:25 p.m. at Crabtree Road in Stanislaus County. California Highway Patrol officers arrived to find an overturned motorcycle lying on the roadway. It is unknown if alcohol or drugs were a factor, according to officers.

Investigators determined the man was riding at an unsafe speed while approaching Crabtree Road. He tried to negotiate a right-hand curve. The motorcycle left the roadway.

The vehicle then overturned and collided with a metal fence. The rider was ejected from the motorcycle. Officers noted that he wore a helmet.

The California Highway Patrol investigates fatal traffic collisions across unincorporated roadways and state routes. Officers examine physical roadway evidence to reconstruct the events. Waterford area emergency personnel often assist during these highway responses.

No other vehicles were involved in the collision. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.