March 28, 2024

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Daredevil Alex Harvill dies while practicing for record-setting motorcycle jump

Daredevil motorcyclist Alex Harvill died Thursday while warming up for a world-record motorcycle jump in Washington, authorities said.

Harvill, 28, was doing a practice run when he crashed during the first event of the Moses Lake Airshow at Grant County International Airport, about 105 miles southwest of Spokane, according to the event’s website.

Image: Alex Harvill (Facebook)

Image: Alex Harvill (Facebook)

Video appeared to show Harvill landing short of a ramp, hitting the edge of a dirt berm and being thrown from his bike.

The stunt rider was taken to a hospital but later died, event officials said.

“Coroner Morrison’s staff will conduct an autopsy on Friday to confirm the cause and manner of death, which is normal procedure,” the Grant County Coroner’s Office said in a statement on Thursday. “Our deepest sympathies go out to Alex’s family, friends and loved ones.”

Harvill, who set a record in 2013 for the longest dirt-to-dirt motorcycle ramp jump (297 feet), was trying to fly over 351 feet and break Robbie Maddison’s 2008 Guinness World Record at the time of the crash.

He shared his excitement about the potentially record-breaking jump on his Instagram page.

“Come watch me hit this ramp June 17th,” he said in a June 6 post.

In his last post on Tuesday, he wrote: “Suzy is ready to be sent!”