Merced motorcyclist suffers major injuries in crash

A 28-year-old Merced man suffered major injuries Wednesday evening when his motorcycle struck a vehicle on Highway 59, near Belcher Avenue in Merced County, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Officer Ed Macias said the victim’s injuries were serious, including a compound leg fracture and a fractured shoulder, but not believed to be life threatening. The victim’s name was not immediately available. He was flown to a Modesto hospital for treatment, Macias said.

The victim was riding a motorcycle about 7 p.m. south on Highway 59, approaching Belcher Avenue when a northbound Honda Civic made a left turn directly in front of him. The rider was thrown from the motorcycle, the CHP said.

The driver of the Honda, a 19-year-old Merced woman, was not injured, Macias said.

She told officers she didn’t see the oncoming motorcycle when she was turning.

Neither drugs nor alcohol are believed to have been factors in the accident, CHP said.

This story was originally published February 25, 2015 at 8:31 PM with the headline "Merced motorcyclist suffers major injuries in crash."