By Lori Stuenkel
Gilroy – A man who died after losing control of his motorcycle on U.S. Highway 152 near Gilroy as identified as 57-year-old Michael Owens of Salida, according to the Santa Clara County Coroner’s office.
Owens was attempting to pass a slower moving semi-truck as he traveled eastbound on Pacheco Pass, just east of Casa de Fruta, about 11:25am Tuesday. He was unable to negotiate a curve in the road as he passed the truck, and ran off the road into the dirt median, according to a California Highway Patrol report.
Owens’ Harley Davidson motorcycle struck a steel guard rail at the Cedar Creek Bridge, the CHP said. He was declared dead at the scene.
At the time of the accident, Owens was wearing a helmet that was not safety certified by the Department of Transportation and came off during the collision.
The fatality was the second in a 24-hour period in unincorporated areas near Gilroy. On Monday afternoon, Morgan Hill resident George Gera, 46, died when he struck a pick-up truck making a left turn off of Uvas Road near Watsonville Road.
