A portion of the Angeles Crest Highway was shut down Sunday after a motorcyclist reportedly crashed into a guard rail and died, according to officials.
The 71-year-old cyclist, Richard Shumway of Yorba Linda, was riding his 1978 Yamaha motorcycle near Dawson Saddle when he allowed his motorcycle to drift to the right shoulder. He then lost control of his bike and collided with a guard rail. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
California Highway Patrol said the Shumway suffered from a heart attack.
It is unclear if the rider suffered a heart attack and then crashed, or if the medical episode resulted from the accident, said an officer at the California Highway Patrol.
The accident was reported at 12:08 p.m. near mile marker 69, according to the CHP. Los Angeles County fire fighters arrived around 12:46 p.m. and shut down the freeway. A rescue helicopter arrived to transport the patient, but he was pronounced dead shortly after.
