Newport motorcyclist killed near Temecula

A Newport Beach man was killed Sunday along State Route 74 in Temecula after a car swerved into his lane and crashed into him head on, California Highway Patrol officials said Monday in a news release.

Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner records show that Robert Edward Grice Jr., 50, was killed about 8:45 a.m. Sunday.

According to CHP, Grice was eastbound on Ortega Highway when a 2004 Toyota Corolla, coming in the opposite way, lost control. The Corolla was driven by an unidentified 20-year-old Lake Elsinore man. The car in front of the Corolla braked, and the Corolla swerved right to avoid rear-ending the car, then overcorrected and swerved hard left, coming into eastbound traffic about 45 to 50 mph into Grice’s 2008 Ducati motorcycle, authorities said.

Grice, who was wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene.

— Joseph Serna