SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — A 45-year-old San Jose man sustained major injuries in a motorcycle crash along Highway 9 near Sempervirens Point Tuesday night, the California Highway Patrol’s Santa Cruz Area office announced in a news release.
Officers responded to the crash at 7:04 p.m. Tuesday. The man had been driving a gray 2025 Kawasaki at an unknown rate of speed on northbound Highway 9, south of Sempervirens Point, when he lost control of the motorcycle, which crashed into an asphalt roadway. After this initial crash, both the driver and the Kawasaki continued moving downward in a southeasterly direction when the vehicle crashed into a guardrail and the driver’s momentum was stopped on a dirt embankment, officers wrote.
The driver, who was wearing a helmet, sustained major injuries and was transported by an air ambulance to a local hospital.
The cause of the crash, including what caused the driver to lose control of the motorcycle, are currently under investigation. At this point, the CHP has not determined alcohol or drugs to be a factor in the crash.
This is the second motorcycle accident along this section of Highway 9 this week, as a 30-year-old Martinez man was killed after his vehicle collided with a tree Sunday.
In the release, CHP Capt. Grant Boles advised motorcyclists take precautions, including wearing helmets and other protective gear and staying alert.
“We extend our best wishes for a swift recovery to the rider involved,” CHP officers wrote.