Motorcyclist killed after sliding into path of logging truck has been identified
A motorcyclist who died Tuesday after losing control of his bike on Mountain Highway and sliding into the path of a logging truck has been identified as 77-year-old Robert Gruber.
Gruber, of Spanaway, was traveling south on state Route 7 in La Grande when he lost control of his Yamaha XVS1300 just before noon.
Troopers are unsure what caused Gruber to lose control, but he crossed into oncoming traffic and was struck by a northbound logging truck.
The driver, a 58-year-old Mineral man, could not stop in time.
Gruber was pronounced dead at the scene.
The other driver was not injured.
That section of Mountain Highway was closed for more than four hours while the Washington State Patrol investigated.
This story was originally published May 1, 2019 at 1:29 PM.
