Woman riding motorcycle dead after crash with big rig on I-215 in Riverside
A woman riding a motorcycle was killed during a crash involving a big rig on the 215 Freeway in Riverside on Thursday.
It happened a little before 8 p.m. on southbound lanes near Van Buren Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol. They say that the woman, identified as 61-year-old Riverside woman Stephanie Varieur, was riding a three-wheel Can-Am Spyder motorcycle when she began to turn right and collided with the trailer of a semi truck.
"The Spyder was caught by the wheels of the truck," police said. "The motorcycle was flipped over, and the rider was thrown into lanes."
After the crash, the big rig driver pulled off the road onto the right shoulder while dragging the bike with it.
Police say that other drivers spotted Varieur lying in the No. 2 lane and called to report that a pedestrian had been struck on the freeway. A pickup truck driver stopped to block the lane and protect her from being hit by other cars.
Paramedics with the Riverside Fire Department pronounced Varieur dead at the scene.
Three of the four southbound lanes were closed for several hours while the investigation continued.
Anyone who knows more is urged to contact CHP officers at (951) 324-7210.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Erdoğan's AKP takes over Istanbul district from opposition CHP
A candidate of Turkey's ruling AKP has taken over as mayor of Istanbul's Gaziosmanpaşa district after the previous incumbent from the opposition CHP was arrested, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Wednesday. The candidate from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's AKP was voted in with the support of the ultra-nationalist MHP. The previous Gaziosmanpaşa district mayor was arrested a week ago, along with four other CHP district mayors in Istanbul and the city of Adana in the south. The mayors have been accused of corruption and dismissed from office. The CHP has termed the arrests a coup. Gaziosmanpaşa is the fourth district that the CHP, Turkey's largest opposition party, has lost since the 2023 local elections, in which Erdoğan's AKP came second for the first time in its history. While observers see political manoeuvring behind the arrests and dismissals, the AKP insists that the Turkish judiciary is politically independent. To date, 12 CHP mayors have been dismissed from office. Appointments in some of their districts have yet to be made, while administrators seen as close to the government have been appointed in three. In six districts, deputies from the same party have been elected, as in the case of Istanbul's dismissed mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was arrested in March. İmamoğlu is seen as Erdoğan's strongest rival.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Turkish far-right politician accused of inciting hatred goes on trial
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A Turkish far-right politician accused of inciting public hatred and hostility went on trial Wednesday in a case critics view as an effort to suppress opposition to the president. Umit Ozdag, the leader of Turkey's Victory Party, was detained in January over accusations he insulted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with comments he made during a party meeting in Antalya. A day later Ozdag was formally arrested and charged with inciting hatred against migrants. He was blamed for last year's anti-Syrian refugee riots in the central Turkish province of Kayseri last year, during which hundreds of homes and businesses were attacked. Prosecutors have presented a series of posts from Ozdag's social media as evidence against him. He faces up to four years in prison if found guilty. Ozdag, a 64-year-old former academic, is an outspoken critic of Turkey's refugee policies and has previously called for the repatriation of millions of Syrian refugees. Ozdag acknowledged advocating the return of refugees at the opening hearing of his trial at a prison complex on the outskirts of Istanbul. He denied he had incited for violence against them and told the court he had worked to calm tensions in Kayseri. In his defense statement, Ozdag maintained that his imprisonment was politically motivated and aimed at silencing him over his criticism of the government's recent effort to end a decades-long conflict with the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. 'The reason why I am here ... is because I criticized the talks held with the PKK terrorist organization's chief,' Ozdag said. The Victory Party strongly opposes any concessions to the PKK which Turkey, along with many Western states including the United States, Britain and the European Union, considers a terrorist organization. The conflict with the PKK has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths since the 1980s. When the trial opened Wednesday, Ozdag's lawyers requested more time to prepare, and the proceedings were adjourned until Tuesday. The politician's trial comes amid a widespread crackdown on the opposition to Erdogan's Justice and Development Party. Officials from municipalities controlled by the main opposition — the Republican People's Party, or CHP — have faced waves of arrests this year. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was detained in March over allegations of corruption. Many people in Turkey consider the cases to be politically driven, according to opinion polls. However, Erdogan's government insists the courts are impartial and free from political involvement. Imamoglu is widely viewed as the main challenger to Erdogan's two-decade rule and is the CHP's candidate for the next presidential election. The election is due in 2028 but could be held earlier.
San Francisco Chronicle
6 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Turkish far-right politician accused of inciting hatred goes on trial
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A Turkish far-right politician accused of inciting public hatred and hostility went on trial Wednesday in a case critics view as an effort to suppress opposition to the president. Umit Ozdag, the leader of Turkey's Victory Party, was detained in January over accusations he insulted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with comments he made during a party meeting in Antalya. A day later Ozdag was formally arrested and charged with inciting hatred against migrants. He was blamed for last year's anti-Syrian refugee riots in the central Turkish province of Kayseri last year, during which hundreds of homes and businesses were attacked. Prosecutors have presented a series of posts from Ozdag's social media as evidence against him. He faces up to four years in prison if found guilty. Ozdag, a 64-year-old former academic, is an outspoken critic of Turkey's refugee policies and has previously called for the repatriation of millions of Syrian refugees. Ozdag acknowledged advocating the return of refugees at the opening hearing of his trial at a prison complex on the outskirts of Istanbul. He denied he had incited for violence against them and told the court he had worked to calm tensions in Kayseri. In his defense statement, Ozdag maintained that his imprisonment was politically motivated and aimed at silencing him over his criticism of the government's recent effort to end a decades-long conflict with the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. 'The reason why I am here ... is because I criticized the talks held with the PKK terrorist organization's chief,' Ozdag said. The Victory Party strongly opposes any concessions to the PKK which Turkey, along with many Western states including the United States, Britain and the European Union, considers a terrorist organization. The conflict with the PKK has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths since the 1980s. When the trial opened Wednesday, Ozdag's lawyers requested more time to prepare, and the proceedings were adjourned until Tuesday. The politician's trial comes amid a widespread crackdown on the opposition to Erdogan's Justice and Development Party. Officials from municipalities controlled by the main opposition — the Republican People's Party, or CHP — have faced waves of arrests this year. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was detained in March over allegations of corruption. Many people in Turkey consider the cases to be politically driven, according to opinion polls. However, Erdogan's government insists the courts are impartial and free from political involvement. Imamoglu is widely viewed as the main challenger to Erdogan's two-decade rule and is the CHP's candidate for the next presidential election. The election is due in 2028 but could be held earlier.
