CHP: Fatal motorcycle accident near southbound Highway 1 in Santa Cruz

A 47-year-old San Jose man died after being thrown from his motorcycle on southbound State Route 1 in Santa Cruz Tuesday afternoon, the California Highway Patrol said.

His name has not yet been released, pending notification of his family.

Another man, Tod Shallenberger of Watsonville, was traveling southbound ahead of the motorcyclist, just north of Morrissey Boulevard around 4 p.m. Shallenberg was driving a pickup and started to slow down because of heavy taffic.

The motorcyclist collided with the back of Shallenberg’s truck and was thrown from his vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The collision is still under investigation, but CHP officers say DUI doesn’t appear to be a factor at this time. The first and second lanes of southbound Highway 1 were closed for about an hour and a half after the crash.