Tucson Police, code lights

A motorcyclist was killed in a crash Thursday afternoon on Tucson's south side, officials say.

Jonathan Michael Gates, 32, was riding a green 2011 Kawasaki ZX600 motorcycle about 2:15 p.m. in the median lane near the intersection of South Alvernon Way and East Valencia Road when he collided with a 2018 Ford F150 that was turning left, a news release from Tucson police said.

Gates died at the scene. The driver of the truck, a 59-year-old man, immediately stopped and cooperated with the investigation, police said.

Failure to yield while making a left turn was the major contributing factor of the collision, the release said. The driver was released after being cited on suspicion of a moving violation resulting in injury or death, the release said.

So far this year, TPD has investigated three fatal motorcycle collisions, two fewer than at the same time last year.

Get your morning recap of today's local news and read the full stories here: tucne.ws/morning


Become a #ThisIsTucson member! Your contribution helps our team bring you stories that keep you connected to the community. Become a member today.

Jamie Donnelly covers breaking news for the Arizona Daily Star. Contact her via e-mail at jdonnelly@tucson.com