Motorcyclist killed in crash with car in Salt Lake City at 500 South and State

SALT LAKE CITY — A motorcyclist was killed following a collision with a car Sunday.

Few details are known, but police believe the motorcyclist, a 55-year-old man from Salt Lake, was heading west on 500 South and the car north on State Street when the two impacted in the intersection just after 11 a.m.

Witnesses say the victim was thrown into the air, Salt Lake Police Lt. Scott White said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the car received only minor injuries.

Police intend to interview the driver and witnesses and look at cameras to determine who was at fault.

Dick Sorensen, who was heading southbound on State Street when the accident occurred, said he thought the light was changing for the north and southbound lanes and that the motorcyclist was making a left-hand turn onto State Street when the two vehicles collided.

"I was stopping for the light and heard the screech of the motorcycle," Sorensen said.

Other witnesses standing on the northeast corner of the intersection looked solemn as a white sheet was spread over the victim.

"It's pretty gruesome," White said.

Northbound traffic on State Street was being diverted at the intersection and southbound traffic was restricted to one lane initially as police continued investigating.

— Lana Groves