BOISE -- A Boise man who fell to his death after a crash on the Connector Sunday evening marked the fourth motorcyclist to plunge from the overpass in the last few years.
Seth Wilson, 39, was riding east into downtown Boise near milepost 4 at about 6:30 p.m. when he lost control of his BMW S1000RR sport bike and slammed into the concrete barrier on the median side. The impact pitched Wilson off his motorcycle and over the barrier wall.
Wilson fell through the gap between the eastbound and westbound interstate, landing on South 16th Street below, near Rhodes Skate Park.
The rider was wearing a helmet, according to Idaho State Police, but was pronounced dead at the scene.
The stretch of Connector has been the site of three similar motorcycle wrecks in the past five years, Idaho Transportation Department spokesman Jake Melder said.
Another man, 32-year-old Harrison Franklin Berlin of Boise, died after crashing over the barrier in 2015. Two other riders survived the plunge in 2013 and 2016.
Melder said all of the previous wrecks involved motorcycles going too fast.
"There have been three crashes involving this curve and motorcyclists who have gone over the edge," he said. "All three of those did involve excessive speeds and one even included some impairment from drugs and alcohol."
Police have not yet released whether speed was a factor in Wilson's crash.
Motorcycle rider killed in crash off Connector
Melder said ITD has looked into whether any improvements or changes were needed at that spot in the Connector. The concrete barrier was designed to divert drivers and keep them from going over the edge, and investigators have determined that the structure is up to standard, he said.
When drivers are going the speed limit, it works as intended. But at a fast enough speed "safety standards may be compromised," Melder said.
ITD will examine the stretch again in the wake of Sunday's crash.
"We're going take a look again at that and see what the contributing factors were in this crash and again determine if modifications are warranted," Melder said.
The City of Boise and ITD had previously discussed installing netting in the gap between the east and westbound Connector, Melder said, although that idea was aimed more at keeping debris or garbage - not people - from falling into Rhodes Skate Park.
This year has been particularly deadly for motorcyclists on Idaho's state highways with 34 fatalities - the highest death toll in nearly a decade.
Melder, who is a motorcycle rider himself, said it is important to remain mindful of the risks associated with riding on two wheels.
"It's a real responsibility. It's a skill you need to refine and have up to date," he said. "Ride well - pay attention, wear a helmet, make sure that your riding at your skill level. Don't push yourself too far because that's when you get into the danger zone."