UPDATE - Wednesday, April 16, 12 noon

The victim of Monday night's fatal motorcycle crash has been identified as Samuel Forest Fitch, 22, of Missoula.

The County Coroner determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head and neck. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, but speed was determined to be a factor in the crash. The Montana Highway Patrol is still investigating.

A Missoula man, 22, was killed late Monday night after his motorcycle crashed on U.S. 93 near Lolo.

A Montana Highway Patrol dispatcher said the accident occurred at about 11 p.m. at mile marker 86 on U.S. Highway 93 South near Bird Lane. The investigating trooper was Andrew Novak.

The dispatcher said the motorcyclist was traveling north when he failed to negotiate a curve to the right.

"The motorcycle struck a concrete barrier and the driver struck a steel sign on top of the barrier. The force of impact broke the steel sign. The driver came to rest on top of the concrete barrier, while the motorcycle continued on and came to rest along the guardrail approximately 1,223 feet from where it first left the traffic lane. The driver suffered blunt force trauma and was pronounced deceased on the scene."

The dispatcher said the motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, but that speed was a factor in the fatal accident.

The man's name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

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