Man dies in motorcycle crash west of Clarkston on Friday afternoon

A motorcyclist who failed to negotiate a curve on Wawawai Road near Nisqually John Landing on Friday afternoon was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders.

The Whitman County Sheriff’s Office announced Saturday afternoon the person who died was Michael Auvil, 67, of Garfield.

According to the original news release from the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office, the male rider was eastbound and thrown from his motorcycle when it left the roadway near a railroad crossing and struck a guardrail. The department was notified of the crash at 1:30 p.m. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Drugs and alcohol are not suspected as a factor, according to the news release.