Last Updated on April 16, 2020 by CCAR Staff
A 79-year-old man fell about 30 feet down a cliff and died on Wednesday after crashing his motorcycle along State Route 371 near Anza, authorities said.
Coroner officials identified the man as Albert Farrell, 79, of Palm Springs.
Farrell was riding a 2012 Harley-Davidson, east along the highway, just west of the 74 Highway, when he made an unsafe turn, said California Highway Patrol Officer Matt Napier.
The motorcycle veered onto the right shoulder of the road, and Farrell was launched 30 feet, down a cliff, Napier said.
Authorities received a call about the solo crash about 3:05 p.m. Fire rescue crews were called to rappel along the cliff and retrieve the Palm Springs resident. Farrell was pronounced dead the scene, authorities said.
Napier said the rider wore headgear, but it was not a helmet approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
CHP investigators were trying to figure out what caused Farrell to make the unsafe maneuver on the curvy road.
The highway was closed to traffic while authorities investigated, but was reopened by Wednesday evening.
