The fatal crash was reported at approximately 3:13 p.m. on June 6 on Highway 74 near Carrizo Road in Mountain Center.
Mountain Center, CA – The motorcycle rider who was killed in a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 74 in Mountain Center Saturday afternoon has been identified, according to authorities.
The Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner identified the deceased rider as 38-year-old Eric Boettcher of Rancho Mirage.
The fatal crash was reported at approximately 3:13 p.m. on June 6 on Highway 74 near Carrizo Road in Mountain Center.
Authorities said the collision involved two motorcycles and a third vehicle. A witness told the California Highway Patrol that one of the motorcycles went off the roadway and down an embankment following the crash. Investigators have not yet released additional details regarding how the collision occurred.
Boettcher was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering fatal injuries in the crash. Authorities said the fatal injuries occurred along an embankment east of Highway 74, approximately 0.6 miles west of Carrizo Road. Information regarding additional injuries or possible arrests was not immediately available.
Emergency crews responded to the scene shortly after the collision was reported and remained in the area while investigators processed evidence and worked to recover the motorcycle from the embankment.
The crash caused major traffic disruptions along the Pines to Palms Highway, with the roadway closed for more than three hours before reopening at approximately 7:49 p.m.
The incident remains under investigation.