One dead after motorcycle, pickup truck collide on I-95 in Fairfax County

The fatal crash occurred about 10:30 a.m. in the southbound lanes of I-95 at mile marker 162, near the Lorton Road interchange, police said.

The motorcycle first came to police attention about 9 a.m., when a trooper saw it traveling at “excessive speed” on the Capital Beltway, police said. Its speed was recorded at 123 mph, according to the police.

The trooper tried to stop it, but it sped off, and the trooper chased it. But as the motorcycle approached the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, the trooper broke off the pursuit, police said.

Then, police said, at 10:22 a.m., the same motorcycle passed the trooper on the Capital Beltway again. It was again traveling at “excessive speed,” police said. Again the trooper tried to stop it, but it sped away, onto southbound Interstate 95, police said.

When the motorcycle was seen “splitting the lanes” between southbound vehicles on the interstate, the pursuit was again halted, police said.

Then, police said, they were notified of the crash on the interstate.

After reaching the scene, police said, troopers recognized the motorcycle as the one that had been pursued earlier.

They learned from witnesses that it had run into the rear of the truck, police said. The force of the crash threw the motorcycle operator from the motorcycle, and it caught fire, police said. They said the motorcyclist died at the scene.

His name was withheld late Sunday police said, until relatives could be notified.

The driver of the pickup was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries, police said.