Salem motorcyclist dies in Highway 20 log truck collision

A Salem man was killed Tuesday when his motorcycle veered into the oncoming lane of U.S. Highway 20 east of Sweet Home and collided with a log truck, Oregon State Police reported.

Troopers and emergency personnel responded around 10:30 a.m. to the crash near mie;post 34.5, said OSP Sgt. Kyle Hove.

A preliminary investigation found that John Harvey Weeks, 65, was heading east on a black 2015 bMW motorcycle when for unknown reasons, it went into the oncoming lane and struck the side of a westbound 2016 Kenworth log truck driven by Kenneth Reynolds, 59, of Sweet Home, Hove said.

Weeks suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene, the trooper said. The truck driver was unhurt.

Witnesses said Weeks may have been looking over his shoulder behind him while negotiating the curve, according to Hove.

The crash and investigation closed Highway 20 for about three hours.

OSP was assisted at the scene by the Sweet Home Fire & Ambulance District and ODOT.

Hove said the investigation was ongoing and more information would be released when available.