Salinas man pleads guilty to fatal motorcycle crash involving retired officer

Update 3/29/2018 4:40pm: A 69-year-old Salinas man has pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter for the death of a retired police officer.

On July 6, 2017, Kenneth Donahue was driving on West Carmel Valley Road near Selfridge Lane when he took his eyes off the road.

He did not see a car stop, and when he swerved to avoid it, he hit former San Mateo Police Officer Michael Carnevale on his motorcycle. Carnevale died from his injuries.

Donahue had not been using his phone at the time and alcohol was not a factor

The District Attorney’s Office recommended 180 days in county jail, and the Probation Department recommended 50 hours of community service.

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A 58-year-old motorcycle rider is dead after a crash on Carmel Valley Road near Selfridge Lane a little after noon today.

Officers said a 69-year-old male driver in a pickup truck heading westbound swerved around a stopped car and ended up over correcting into the eastbound lane.

That’s when the motorcycle rider was hit and ejected from his bike.

No arrests were made and charges on the pickup driver are being investigated.

Traffic was slow in the area for about an hour and a half until CHP was able to clear the scene.