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Motorcyclist skids off SR-410 in Buckley in fatal accident

Sirens.
Sirens. The Sun News file photo

A female motorcyclist died Saturday afternoon after skidding off State Route 410 near downtown Buckley, according to police.

The accident occurred around 1 p.m. near the intersection with 262nd Ave., about one mile west of the Sumner-Buckley Highway.

The motorcyclist, who was wearing a helmet, appeared to have rolled into a ditch while traveling westbound on State Route 410, said State Trooper Robert Reyer. Investigators at the site determined she was likely not speeding but perhaps applied “a little bit too much gas as she turned,” said Reyer.

A Washington State Patrol memo later confirmed the cause of the accident as speed. Drugs or alcohol were not involved, the report said.

The driver was identified as Michelle D. Gilbertsen, 53, of Bonney Lake. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her daughter has been notified.

Westbound traffic was rerouted to 262nd Street, returning to State Route 410 at 254th St., for two hours and forty minutes on Saturday.

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect information from the collision report.

This story was originally published August 14, 2021 at 2:22 PM with the headline "Motorcyclist skids off SR-410 in Buckley in fatal accident."

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Kristine Sherred
The News Tribune
Kristine Sherred joined The News Tribune in 2019, following a decade in Chicago where she worked for restaurants, a liquor wholesaler, a culinary bookstore and a prominent food journalist. In addition to her SPJ-recognized series on Tacoma’s grease-trap policies, her work centers the people behind the counter and showcases the impact of small business on community. She previously reported for Industry Dive and William Reed. Find her on Instagram @kcsherred. Support my work with a digital subscription
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