Police identify motorcyclist killed in crash on Clifton

A man who lost control of his motorcycle while trying to avoid a collision was killed Sunday night when he fell from the skidding bike, police said Monday.

James L. Kirk, 25, was driving south on South Clifton in the Planeview neighborhood at about 9:20 p.m. when a car coming north swerved into the southbound lane to avoid a parked car, Wichita police Lt. James Espinoza said. Kirk laid the bike down in an effort to avoid the collision, but he was struck by the northbound car and killed.

“At this point, Wichita police do not believe the driver of the car to be under the influence in any way,” Espinoza said of the 30-year-old man.

The northbound car came over a hill and then around a vehicle that was parked along Clifton, police said. The street is of standard width and vehicles are allowed to parallel park along the curb, which narrows the space available to passing traffic.

Investigators were still working the collision scene along Clifton on Monday afternoon. Evidence in the case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, which will determine what, if any, charges will be filed in the case.

Kirk is the 11th traffic fatality of the year in Wichita, police said.

This story was originally published July 20, 2015 at 12:08 PM with the headline "Police identify motorcyclist killed in crash on Clifton."