SOMIS : Motorcyclist Killed on California 118

A motorcycle rider died Saturday after colliding with two cars on California 118 in Somis.

California Highway Patrol Officer Gretchen Tumelson said the accident occurred about 4:30 p.m. near Groves Place, in front of the Queen Ranch roadside stand.

She said an eastbound car turned into the roadside stand and the car behind it, driven by Jim Dziadulewicz, 30, of Camarillo, slowed from about 50 m.p.h. to 30 m.p.h.

Dziadulewicz said the motorcycle rider was following him in the eastbound lane and also began slowing down.

“I could see this guy in my rearview mirror coming up kind of fast, but it looked like he was slowing down,” he said.

The rider hit the rear left end of Dziadulewicz’s car and was thrown into the other lane, where he was struck by a car going in the opposite direction, Tumelson said. The driver of that car, Kate Allen, 54, of Ventura, was driving about 55 m.p.h., the legal limit, Tumelson said.

The victim, whose identity was withheld until relatives could be notified, was killed instantly, investigators said. A motorcycle helmet was found at the scene, but they said they had not determined whether the rider was wearing it.

Neither automobile driver was cited, Tumelson said.

Authorities closed both lanes of the highway for about two hours.