1 dead, 1 badly hurt after motorcyclists thrown off Long Beach bridge

A woman is dead and a man is in “very critical” condition after the motorcycle they were riding slammed into a wall and they were thrown off the Gerald Desmond Bridge in Long Beach, police said.

The 2003 Suzuki motorcycle was speeding east over the bridge, which goes through the Port of Long Beach complex, Tuesday at about 6:30 p.m., said Det. Brian Watt of the Long Beach Police Department.

The driver, a 20-year-old Anaheim man, was speeding into a turn at about 70 mph onto the northbound 710 overpass when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the wall on his right.

The bike skidded along the wall for a while, and then both the driver and passenger were thrown over the side of the bridge and landed on Ocean Boulevard 150 feet to 250 feet below, Watt said.

The passenger, a 19-year-old woman, also of Anaheim, was immediately struck by a Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling east toward downtown. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The motorcycle was flung more than 600 feet past where the two riders were ejected, police said.

The driver, who was found unresponsive in the westbound lanes of the road, was taken to a hospital and is currently in “very critical condition,” Watt said. According to police, the man had a valid motorcycle license and his insurance was up to date.

Neither of the victims, who suffered multiple fractures on both legs and arms, and major head trauma, has been identified, pending family notification.

The driver of the Jeep, a 68-year-old Long Beach resident, remained at the scene and cooperated with authorities.

Traffic along Ocean Boulevard in the port area was closed off for hours Tuesday as police investigated and cleared the roadway.

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