Motorcyclist Dies After Crash With Big Rig

A 33-year-old Moorpark man was killed Wednesday after he tried to maneuver his motorcycle between two vehicles on the Ronald Reagan Freeway and was run over by a big-rig truck.

John Hurd died from injuries in the accident, which occurred about 7:25 a.m. as he was traveling in the eastbound lanes, California Highway Patrol Officer David Cockrill said.

Hurd tried to pass his motorcycle between a car in the right lane and a tractor-trailer rig in the middle lane, Cockrill said.

Hurd was between the two vehicles when his right brake handle struck the left mirror of the car, Cockrill said.

“He went down, and he ended up beneath the rear wheels of the trailer on the semi-truck,” Cockrill said.

Hurd was taken by ambulance to Simi Valley Hospital with major injuries, including a ruptured aorta, authorities said. He was later transferred to Columbia Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks, where he was pronounced dead about 1:30 p.m.

Hurd was wearing a helmet but suffered massive internal bleeding, authorities said.

Cockrill said the accident appears to have been Hurd’s fault.

“It doesn’t look like anybody will be cited,” he said.

News of the crash spread quickly at the Sylmar-based Pacesetter plant, where Hurd had worked.

“He was a great employee, dedicated and intelligent,” said Ralph Bowman, Hurd’s supervisor.

Barbara Borland, 35, Hurd’s fiancee, said the couple had been together a year.

“He’s the kindest person everybody has ever met,” Borland said. “I’m glad we had a year together. And I am going to look back on that year and smile.”