CHP Santa Cruz investigating a fatal crash in Santa Cruz mountains Wednesday morning

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) - CHP Santa Cruz is investigating a deadly crash that took place Wednesday morning at about 9:40 a.m. in the Santa Cruz mountains.

According to CHP, the crash happened in the area of Soquel San Jose Road north of Old Turnpike Road.

As of Wednesday morning, CHP said that portion of the road us shut down down while CHP investigates the cause of the crash. The road has since been reopened.

Officials said that a 68-year-old man from Los Gatos was driving a blue 2012 BMW motorcycle southbound on Soquel San Jose Road at an undetermined speed. They also said that a 64-year-old man from Aptos was driving a green 2023 Subaru Forester with two passengers and three dogs northbound on Soquel San Jose Road at an undetermined speed.

For reasons still unknown, CHP says that the BMW and its driver collided with the asphalt roadway. They said that after the crash, the BMW and the driver continued in a south-easterly direction which resulted in a collision with the Subaru.

Officials say that the driver of the BMW received major injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene.

They say that the driver of the Subaru, the passengers and dogs were all uninjured.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation and it is unknown if alcohol and/or drugs were factors in this crash.