Palo Alto, CA : Motorcyclist killed in collision on Highway 101 Tuesday night, Sep 22, 2015

A motorcyclist was killed in a collision Tuesday night with a car along southbound Highway 101, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The collision was reported around 5:45 p.m. just north of the Embarcadero Road offramp, per the CHP. A motorcyclist, identified only as a 27-year-old man from Fremont, and a driver in a Ford sedan collided in the far left lanes. According to the CHP, the motorcyclist was traveling at a high rate of speed when he hit the sedan, throwing him from his Yamaha bike and bringing traffic at a standstill.

Southbound drivers dealt with major delays and traffic backed up to Highway 84, according to the CHP. Drivers were encouraged to use Highway 84 to cross over to southbound Interstate 280 while crews investigated the crash.

Several lanes remained closed until just after 8 p.m., according to the CHP.

According to Menlo Park Fire Protection District Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman, traffic in the area was "terrible," impacting the ability of first responders to assist the victim.

It took first responders 10 minutes to reach the scene of the accident.

"We failed to be where we needed to be within a period of time," Schapelhouman said. "Whether that would have made a difference in this incident, I'm not sure."

Last week the district's board of directors adopted new standards establishing a goal of having the first firefighters on the scene of an incident within seven minutes of being reported to dispatch. Firefighters were not able to meet that new standard when responding to tonight's fatal motorcycle crash, Schapelhouman said. Investigators said they did not believe alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash.

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Palo Alto: Motorcyclist killed in collision on Highway 101 identified as Fremont man