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East Fork man dies in Friday motorcycle crash
By Lynn Hotaling
An East Fork man died Friday from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident south of Sylva.
Travis Ashely Deitz, 22, was traveling north (toward Sylva) on U.S. 23/441 on a 2007 Yamaha motorcycle owned by James Ashe of Pumpkintown, according to Sgt. Matt Wike of the N.C. Highway Patrol. The motorcycle went off the roadway on the right side and down an embankment, struck a right of way fence and overturned, throwing Deitz from the motorcycle, Wike said.
The accident occurred around 5:05 p.m. but was not discovered for an hour; emergency personnel were summoned to the scene at 6:15 p.m., Wike said.
Deitz was conscious when WestCare EMS arrived at the scene but died at Harris Regional Hospital, Wike said. The accident occurred in an area just south of East Fork Road where rock and dirt are being deposited to fill in a low spot. Deitz was discovered when a truck driver spotted him after dumping a load of fill material, Wike said.
Deitz left the Savannah Fire Department a few minutes before the accident, according to information Ashe gave the Highway Patrol. Ashe and Deitz, both fire department members, were friends and Deitz had asked to take the motorcycle for a brief ride, Wike said.
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