CHP cruiser
A California Highway Patrol cruiser. Photo by Chris Stone

A motorcyclist was killed when he crashed head- on crash into a pickup truck hauling a trailer in Valley Center, authorities said Monday.

The crash happened around 4:25 p.m. Sunday near the intersection of Valley Center and Round Tree roads, California Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Smale said.

The motorcyclist was riding a 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250 eastbound on Valley Center Road, just west of Round Tree Road, when for unknown reasons he crossed over into the westbound lanes and collided with a 2016 GMC Sierra 2500 pickup towing a utility trailer, Smale said.

The 42-year-old victim, whose name was withheld pending family notification, was ejected from his motorcycle and pronounced dead at the scene, Smale said.

The 38-year-old pickup driver was uninjured in the crash and remained at the scene to cooperate with investigators, he said.

Updated at 10:15 a.m. Aug. 5, 2019

— City News Service

Chris Jennewein is founder and senior editor of Times of San Diego.