A man from La Plata, New Mexico, was killed in a motorcycle crash Tuesday, just before 11 p.m. on U.S. Highway 550 near Bondad.

The driver was identified as James Montgomery, 57.

Colorado State Patrol Sgt. Ben Steger said Montgomery was on County Road 310 headed toward Highway 550 when he failed to negotiate a right turn and rolled over into the dirt plot on the northeast corner of the intersection.

Montgomery was ejected from his motorcycle, and he landed in the northbound lane of Highway 550 when a vehicle traveling north struck and killed him.

Steger said the driver of the vehicle was “shaken up,” but did not sustain any injuries as a result of the crash.

Steger said the Colorado State Patrol suspects Montgomery had consumed alcohol and was traveling at excessive speeds.

The crash comes near the start of the Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, which is expected to bring thousands of motorcyclists to the region.

“This is a big weekend for us,” Steger said.

“(Motorcycle accidents) usually spike around this time.”

Summer is widely considered the high-time for accidents involving motorcycles.

Motorcycle fatalities in Colorado are trending toward last year’s total, with more than 50 deaths as of August, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. In 2014, 92 motorcyclists died on the state’s road.

jromeo@durangoherald.com