Craig Smith Obituary, Death; – Authorities have identified the motorcyclist who tragically lost his life in a crash last month in Santa Cruz County as 68-year-old Craig Smith from Los Gatos.
On December 18, at approximately 9:41 a.m., officers from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) arrived at the accident site on Soquel San Jose Road, located north of Old Turnpike Road. According to police reports, Smith was operating a blue 2012 BMW motorcycle in a southbound direction on Soquel San Jose Road at an unspecified speed.
Simultaneously, a 64-year-old man from Aptos was driving a green 2023 Subaru Forester, accompanied by two passengers and three dogs, in a northbound direction on the same roadway, also at an undetermined speed.
“Circumstances under investigation indicate that the BMW and its operator collided with the asphalt roadway,” stated CHP Captain Jason Grimm in his preliminary report. “Following the initial impact, the BMW and its rider continued in a south-easterly trajectory, leading to a collision with the Subaru.” Smith, who was wearing a helmet at the time of the incident, suffered severe injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel.
The driver of the Subaru remained unharmed, and there were no reported injuries among the passengers or dogs. At this stage, authorities have indicated that it remains uncertain whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the accident.
“The California Highway Patrol encourages all drivers to adhere to speed limits, minimize distractions, and comply with all traffic regulations,” Captain Grimm emphasized. A fundraising campaign initiated by family friend Christy Dally to assist the Smith family with funeral expenses had raised just over $3,100 earlier this week, which increased to $4,618 by Thursday morning.
