Bellingham motorcyclist killed after crossing center line along North Cascades Highway
A Bellingham motorcycle rider was killed Sunday morning when he reportedly crossed the center line into oncoming traffic and hit pickup towing a trailer along the North Cascades Highway in Skagit County.
George E. Shufelt, 33, died at the scene of the accident, which occurred at approximately 11:19 a.m. Aug. 23 near milepost 146 of Highway 20, just south of the Whatcom-Skagit county line, according to the Washington State Patrol release on the incident.
“That area, historically in the summertime, is very well known for fatalities and crashes that cause serious injuries,” Trooper Heather Axtman told The Bellingham Herald Monday. “And a lot of them are motorcycle collisions up there. It’s a beautiful route — I would say one of the most beautiful in the state. I can only imagine the draw to go up and enjoy the scenery and the view. But it can be dangerous.”
Shufelt was riding his black 2016 Yamaha FZ09 eastbound on Highway 20 through the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest when he crossed over the center line and struck a maroon 2012 Dodge Ram pickup traveling westbound on the highway, according to the State Patrol report. After the collision, Shufelt and his bike came to rest along an embankment.
Though Shufelt was wearing a United States Department of Transportation-compliant helmet, the State Patrol deemed speed and crossing the center line as the causes of the fatal crash.
Shufelt’s death represents the third fatal crash since 2010 involving a motorcycle that has occurred along the North Cascades Highway in Whatcom and Skagit counties between Concrete and Winthrop, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation Crash Portal. During that same time frame, there have been another 24 serious-injury motorcycle-involved crashes along that stretch of highway.
“What we see is a lot of motorcycle crashes and fatalities up there come with speed as a factor,” Axtman said. “It’s such a pretty ride, and it’s not super windy and it’s gradual — for lack of a better term, I would call it a ‘fun’ highway to ride. But we strongly encourage keeping in mind to ride safe, slow down, enjoy the scenery, but go the speed limit.”
The fatal crash came less than 24 hours after another Bellingham motorcycle rider was hospitalized in a head-on crash Saturday afternoon along Marine Drive. However in that crash, it was the driver of the other vehicle who crossed the center line and struck the motorcyclist, as 20-year-old Miranda Ziesing was charged with vehicular assault after it was found she was driving under the influence, the State Patrol reported.
This story was originally published August 24, 2020 at 7:28 AM.
