The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office investigated a fatal motorcycle crash that occurred yesterday afternoon on Cedarvale Road in the Town of Onondaga. At approximately 4:37 p.m., Sheriff’s Deputies along with rescue personnel from the Howlett Hill Fire Department responded to the 4300 block of Cedarvale Road for a reported crash involving a motorcycle and a pickup truck. Deputies investigating the crash report that a 2005 Suzuki motorcycle, operated by 42 year old Christopher Barnhart of Auburn, was traveling north on Cedarvale Road when he failed to negotiate a curve and struck a south bound Dodge Ram pickup. The driver of the pickup, Kevin Doupe (21) and his two passengers, Emily Gravatt (20) and Lillian Doupe (1) all of Marietta, were not injured.

Barnhart was transported to Upstate University Hospital-Community Campus where he was pronounced deceased a short time later.

Cedarvale Road between Balcomb Mill Circle and Cornwall Road was closed for several hours while members of the Sheriff’s Office Accident Investigation Team investigated the crash, which deputies say speed is likely a contributing factor in the cause of the crash. The road has since reopened.