Two motorcyclists killed at same intersection within 4 days

A 62-year-old Los Banos man died in a motorcycle crash outside Gilroy on Wednesday night, four days after another motorcyclist was killed at the same intersection, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The crash was reported around 9 p.m. at Holsclaw and Leavesley roads, near Llagas Creek east of Gilroy.

A 17-year-old Morgan Hill boy driving a 2017 Honda Accord stopped at the stop sign on Holsclaw and then accelerated directly into the path of the 2005 Harley-Davidson, which was traveling east on Leavesley.

The man, whose identity has not been released, crashed into the left front fender of the Accord and died at the scene.

The Accord driver suffered minor injuries but refused transport to a hospital, CHP officers said. His passenger, a 14-year-old Morgan Hill boy, was not injured.

CHP investigators do not believe alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash, which is still under investigation.

The fatal crash occurred after one at 5:25 p.m. Saturday, when a motorcyclist identified by the Santa Clara County medical examiner’s office as 53-year-old Richard Martinez of Gilroy had been traveling east on Leavesley toward a 2000 Ford vehicle traveling west.

The 22-year-old Gilroy man driving the Ford steered left toward Holsclaw, directly into the path of Martinez’s motorcycle.

As the Ford traveled across the eastbound lane, Martinez crashed into its right rear door, CHP officers said. Martinez was taken to the Regional Medical Center of San Jose where he died at 6:40 p.m.

CHP Officer Chris Miceli said, noting that he was not aware of any recent changes to the intersection:

“Any time you have a collision in the same proximity, it definitely makes you wonder. … Anytime a motorcycle’s involved, you kind of wonder about visibility.”

Saturday’s crash took place in the daylight on an evening that CHP investigators described as sunny, dry and clear.

No street lights can be seen at the intersection on Google Maps Street View images, which the site notes were captured in 2011. Officials from the Santa Clara County Roads and Airports Department did not immediately return a request for comment.