by Lompoc Man Identified as Motorcyclist Killed South of Orcutt, Investigation Underway
A tragic incident occurred on Wednesday night south of Orcutt, resulting in the death of a Lompoc man. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Bureau has identified the victim as 31-year-old Yigit Tokbey. Authorities are now seeking the public’s assistance in identifying other vehicles involved in the incident.
Emergency personnel, including Santa Barbara County firefighters, were dispatched to the scene on southbound Highway 1 near the Highway 135 intersection around 9:25 p.m. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), Tokbey was found down on the roadway in the left lane and was pronounced dead at the scene by American Medical Response paramedics.
CHP officers discovered a 2017 Moto Guzzi motorcycle and several other vehicles stopped on the side of the road upon their arrival. Preliminary investigations indicate that for unknown reasons, Tokbey veered off the roadway and lost control of his motorcycle, according to CHP Officer Maria Barriga.
Tragically, after the initial crash, Tokbey remained stationary in the left lane of southbound Highway 1 and was subsequently struck by multiple vehicles. The CHP report states that the weather was foggy at the time of the collision, resulting in limited visibility. Witnesses have provided information suggesting that additional vehicles struck the rider and then left the scene.
To aid in the investigation, Caltrans assisted by implementing a road closure from 10:45 p.m. to 2 a.m. CHP officers are now appealing to the public for any information that could help identify the vehicles involved in this fatal crash. Officer D. Snider is leading the investigation, and anyone with relevant information is urged to contact the CHP’s Santa Maria Area office.
Additional background information reveals that Tokbey recently relocated from Massachusetts to the Central Coast to work as a senior launch engineer for SpaceX. He was also actively involved in fundraising efforts to support earthquake victims in Turkey, as he had family in one of the affected areas.
As investigations continue, authorities hope that the public’s assistance will shed light on the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.
