The California Highway Patrol has released details of the crash that killed a Fresno man riding a dirt bike with friends in a remote area west of Taft last week.
Matthew Drake, 38, was fatally injured when he crashed about 1.6 miles west of Soda Lake Road and 6.9 miles north of Highway 166, CHP officer Bill Irons said.
That location is within the Carrizo Plains National Monument in far eastern San Luis Obispo County.
Drake and four friends were riding together at speeds ranging from 55 to 70 miles an hour when they approached a deep ravine, Irons said.
Drake applied his brakes but still flew across the ravine, slamming into the dirt on the other side.
Drake was wearing a helmet and other safety gear but suffered "extensive injuries" and died at the scene, Irons said.
Two of Drake’s friends traveled up to the top of the Temblors to call for help and met emergency crews on top of 25 Hill.
The other two stayed with Drake.
One of the friends was flown to the accident scene in a Kern County Sheriff’s helicopter to help locate the crash scene.
The accident occurred at 4:50 p.m. ad the Sheriff's helicopter reached the scene about two hours later
Irons said the investigation is continuing to determine if the accident occurred in an area that is open to off-road riding or not.
