Utah motorcyclist crash-lands in pickup, goes on unexpected trip

A motorcyclist was lucky to be alive after the bed of the pickup truck he collided with broke his fall.

Utah Highway Patrol troopers said the 37-year-old motorcyclist from West Valley City was driving recklessly eastbound on State Route 201 near Bangerter Highway about 1 a.m. Sunday when he struck the rear of a Chevy pickup.

The impact vaulted him in the bed of the Chevy pickup, which kept driving because the driver didn't realize the motorcyclist had crash-landed onto his vehicle.

A short time later, the Chevy pickup stopped on California Avenue and discovered the motorcyclist lying in the bed vomiting, troopers said. Both his arms had been broken from the impact, and he had suffered head injuries even though he was wearing a helmet.

Another motorist, meanwhile, spotted the wrecked bike on SR 201, called police and troopers began hunting for the missing motorcyclist.

Paramedics took the motorcyclist to Intermountain Medical Center for treatment. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving a stolen motorcycle.

Troopers said they're not sure why the pickup driver didn't immediately realize the man had crash-landed in the bed of the truck, or why the motorcyclist didn't try to alert the driver that he was back there.

jstecklein@sltrib.com

Twitter @sltribjanelle