Motorcyclist seriously injured after crashing off Highway 74 in Pinyon Pines

PINYON PINES, Calif. — A 31-year-old motorcyclist suffered major injuries Friday afternoon after crashing off Highway 74 in Pinyon Pines, authorities said.

The single-vehicle crash was reported shortly after 3:15 p.m. in the 71000 block of Highway 74, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. Emergency crews responded to the scene, where the rider had gone down an embankment after leaving the roadway.

Investigators with the California Highway Patrol said the man was riding a 2006 Kawasaki motorcycle eastbound on Highway 74 at an unspecified speed when he made an unsafe turn for reasons that remain under investigation. The maneuver caused the motorcycle to veer off the highway and descend the embankment.

The rider, who has not been publicly identified, sustained major injuries and was airlifted by helicopter to a local hospital.

The crash prompted the temporary closure of the eastbound lane of Highway 74 while emergency personnel assisted the victim and investigators examined the scene.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. No additional details were immediately available.