A 35-year-old Mount Vernon man was killed Sunday, Aug. 19, when he crashed his motorcycle on the North Cascades Highway east of Diablo.

Sky Allen Suiter was eastbound on state Highway 20 when he lost control and crashed on a curve at Milepost 136 near Ross Lake in southeastern Whatcom County, said Laurie Prettyman, Washington State Patrol communications officer in Marysville.

Suiter was riding a 2010 Yamaha YZFR, a street racer type of bike. He was wearing an approved helmet.

No other vehicles were involved, troopers said. Suiter was riding too fast for conditions, according to the accident report.

Traffic backed up for at least two hours on the heavily traveled two-lane highway through the mountain pass.

ROBERT MITTENDORF is a Herald copy editor and page designer. Contact him at 360-756-2805 or at robert.mittendorf@bellinghamherald.com.