Orcutt, CA – The motorcyclist killed in a collision on Highway 1 south of Orcutt on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, has been identified as 31-year-old Yiğit Tokbey of Lompoc, according to KEYT.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Bureau confirmed Tokbey’s identity on Friday, January 19, 2024.
Tokbey, a Senior Launch Engineer at SpaceX working at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Vandenberg Village, was involved in a collision on Wednesday evening. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) received a report around 9:23 PM regarding a vehicle versus pedestrian crash on southbound Highway 1 near Graciosa Road.
Upon arrival, officers found Tokbey’s 2017 Moto Guzzi motorcycle and multiple vehicles stopped on the emergency shoulder lane. The preliminary investigation indicated that, for reasons yet unknown, Tokbey veered off the roadway and lost control of his motorcycle.
Following the initial crash, Tokbey was discovered unresponsive on the right lane of southbound Highway 1 and was subsequently struck by multiple vehicles. Despite the response from American Medical Response paramedics, Tokbey was pronounced dead at the scene.
Weather conditions during the collision were characterized as foggy with limited visibility. The CHP is seeking public assistance to identify any additional vehicles that may have left the scene after striking the rider.
This incident marks the second fatality near Highway 1 and Highway 135 in recent days. A prior incident involved a 57-year-old Lompoc man struck by a sedan on January 13th.
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