Cottage Grove, OR : Myrtle Creek man killed in motorcycle crash on I-5 south of Cottage Grove on Friday afternoon, September 5, 2014

A Myrtle Creek man was killed Friday afternoon when his motorcycle crashed in a construction zone on Interstate 5, 13 miles south of Cottage Grove, according to Oregon State Police. Paul Joseph Alvarado, 60, was riding a Harley-Davidson shortly before 4 p.m. north on I-5 near Milepost 161 when he failed to merge into the left lane while entering a work zone, troopers said. Alvarado hit at least one orange construction barrel, lost control of his motorcycle and struck a guardrail, troopers said. The man was wearing a helmet but was still seriously injured. A trooper and emergency personnel responded to the scene. An air ambulance was also called in. Alvarado was pronounced dead, however, before he could be transported to a hospital. The northbound lanes were blocked for about an hour before one lane opened to traffic. Efforts to reach Alvarado’s family were unsuccessful Saturday. Troopers said there were multiple signs advising motorists of construction up ahead and a right lane closure, as well as orange construction barrels tapering right lane traffic into the left lane. Troopers from the Roseburg Area Command Office are investigating the accident. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, North Douglas County Fire & EMS and Oregon Department of Transportation assisted. Source : Myrtle Creek man killed in motorcycle crash on I-5 south of Cottage Grove