CHP: Motorcycle rider near Sears Point crashes making illegal pass

A motorcycle rider making an illegal pass crashed on Highway 37 Monday morning and was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Napa.|

A motorcycle rider suffered serious injuries Monday morning while making an illegal pass on westbound Highway 37 and then crashed trying to avoid a turning big rig, according to the CHP.

The 8:10 a.m. crash near Sears Point happened when the rider, going about 40 mph, tried to pass vehicles by using the right shoulder, the CHP said. But then the big rig driver ahead of the rider began to turn right into a driveway. The rider took evasive action to avoid the vehicle, hit a guardrail and was thrown into a ditch, the CHP said.

A helicopter flew the rider to Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa, the CHP said. The rider’s name wasn’t available Monday morning.

Passing on the shoulder - or driving to the right of the white solid line - is illegal, dangerous and often results in a ticket, the CHP said Monday in a social media notice about the crash.

You can reach Press Democrat Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 707-521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@rossmannreport.

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