A motorcyclist who Tucson police said was doing a wheelie as he weaved through traffic was killed in a crash Sunday night.
Just after 7 p.m. officers were sent to a collision involving a 2006 Dodge Dakota pickup truck and a blue 2016 Suzuki GSX-S1000F motorcycle in the 5400 block of East Speedway near North Sixth Avenue.
Tucson Fire personnel pronounced the motorcycle rider dead at the scene. He was identified by Tucson police as Nathaniel Warren Washington, 18.
Traffic detectives determined that the pickup truck was make a left turn from eastbound Speedway into a business on the north side of the road. The truck was making the turn from the median lane where a "No Turns" sign was posted. At this time, Washington was westbound on Speedway and collided with the turning truck, police said Monday.
Witnesses told police the motorcycle was weaving in and out of traffic and was traveling with the front wheel lifted off the roadway just before the collision occurred. The pickup truck's driver remained at the scene and was determined not to be impaired at the time of the crash, police said.
Failing to obey a traffic control device by the pickup truck's driver and reckless driving by Washington are the major contributing factors to the collision, police said. This is an ongoing investigation, and no charges or citations have been issued at this time, police said.
There have been 69 traffic fatalities in Tucson this year, compared to 63 at this time last year.
