• June 13, 2022

UPDATE (June 14, 2022): Authorities have identified the rider killed in this accident as 47-year-old John Keith Norden. The circumstances of the crash that took Norden's life are still being investigated.

Austin, TX — June 11, 2022, one person died in a motorcycle accident on Las Cimas Parkway in the Westlake region of Austin.

According to reports the incident happened shortly before 8:30 p.m. in the area of Las Cimas Parkway and South Capitol of Texas Highway. The circumstances of the crash aren't yet known but one fatality was confirmed by medics at the scene.

The investigation continues. No further information is available at this time.

Commentary on John Norden Accident on Las Cimas Pkwy in Austin

It's always a shame to read about a fatal accident, but when there are so few details about how it even happened I can't help but feel some concern--particularly when the victim was on a motorcycle. Even in situations where they're hurt or killed, riders don't always get a fair shake from investigators or the public.

Clearly it's much too soon to draw conclusions. Hopefully investigators will do what they're supposed to and look into the bigger picture, including possible factors beyond the "greatest hits" like speeding, distraction, or intoxication. It's also important to consider whether things like vehicle malfunctions, poor road conditions, or even medical issues suffered by the rider had anything to do with what happened. It's not even clear from early reports whether this was a single-vehicle accident, and the involvement of another driver would add more complexities to address.

I'm not saying a motorcyclist can't make a mistake. That might be what happened here as it has happened many other times, but nobody can be sure until a more careful investigation is conducted. In the meantime it's important to be patient and not jump to conclusions. At the very least, the victim's loved ones deserve to know that all care was taken to discover the truth of what caused their terrible loss.