Heath McCormick Killed in Motorcycle Accident at Orange Olive Road and Meats Avenue
Orange, California (September 21, 2021) – 45-year-old Heath Christian McCormick has been identified as the rider who died following a suspected DUI collision at an intersection in Orange on Monday evening, September 20.
The deadly collision happened in the area of Orange Olive Road and Meats Avenue at approximately 5:27 p.m.
The accident happened when a southbound Nissan driven by 24-year-old Eric Lopez, of Anaheim, was making a left turn onto eastbound Meats Avenue in the evening hours. The Nissan then struck a motorcycle that was heading northbound on North Orange Olive Road.
Motorcyclist Killed in Crash in Orange Identified
McCormick, a resident of Orange, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The police believe that Lopez was possibly under the influence of marijuana at the time of the accident and was placed under arrest on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated
The accident resulted in the closure of North Orange Olive Road for few hours as investigation and clean-up took place.
An investigation into the accident is underway.
An Overview of Motorcycle Accident Statistics in California
- More than 500 motorcyclists died, and more than 15,500 were injured in 2017 in California.
- About 80% of all annual motorcycle accidents result in injuries or death.
- California has over 800,000 registered motorcycles, the largest in the nation.
Tips for Safe Riding of Motorcycles
- Ensure you are properly licensed before riding a motorcycle.
- Practice how to operate a motorcycle properly.
- Wear the proper protection.
- Ride responsibly.