Clovis, San Luis Obispo motorcyclists killed in crashes named by Fresno County coroner

The identities of two motorcyclists killed Friday in separate incidents south of Fresno were released Monday by the Fresno County Coroner’s Office. According to the California Highway Patrol, high speeds and perhaps impatience played a role in both crashes.

Christopher Ortega, 57, of San Luis Obispo was killed around 2 p.m. on southbound Highway 41 near Harlan Avenue east of Riverdale. The CHP said Ortega was approaching slower traffic on 41 while riding a 2018 Kawasaki. He was illegally passing vehicles at high speed in the center lane when he struck a concrete median wall, was thrown from the motorcycle, and died at the scene.

The second incident occurred about 20 minutes later at Mount Whitney and Elm avenues, a short distance from the first fatal crash. Traffic had slowed due to a detour from the first collision. Yamaha rider Joe Madrid, 41, of Clovis was speeding and passing vehicles when he struck a pickup truck towing a trailer that had come to a stop. Madrid also died at the scene.