Menifee motorcyclist dies in accident on Hemet road

A Menifee man died this morning when he lost control of his motorcycle when trying to avoid a collision in a remote area of Hemet, authorities said.

The County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Scott Burtness, age 32. According to a CHP report, Burtness was traveling southbound on Red Mountain Road when he rounded a curve in the road and saw a northbound Dodge Ram pickup truck and trailer turning left onto Cougar Road in front of him about 7:40 a.m.

The truck was making a left turn at approximately 5 mph onto the dirt road. Burtness apparently lost control of his motorcycle and was ejected, landing on the asphalt road and sliding into the utility trailer’s right side, according to the report. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The CHP Temecula station is conducting the traffic collision investigation. The driver of the truck, an 84-year-old man from Kingman, Arizona, was not injured. No arrest was made.