A collision on southbound U.S. 101 left a motorcyclist dead in Palo Alto on Tuesday evening after emergency crews headed to the crash were delayed by heavy traffic, said Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District.
The San Mateo County coroner's office identified the victim as Ronald Barbaran Garcia, 27, of Union City.
The crash was reported at 5:46 p.m. on southbound 101 just north of Embarcadero Road.
The CHP said the victim's death was reported to dispatchers just before 6 p.m.
The first firefighters arrived on scene at 5:56 p.m., Chief Schapelhouman said.
Traffic in the area was "terrible" and it had a definite effect on the ability of first responders to assist the victim, he said.
"We failed to be where we needed to be within a period of time," Schapelhouman said. "Whether that would have made a difference in this incident, I'm not sure."
Last week the district's Board of Directors adopted new standards establishing a goal of having the first firefighters on the scene of an incident within seven minutes of being reported to dispatch.
Firefighters were not able to meet that new standard when responding to Monday's fatal motorcycle crash, Chief Schapelhouman said.
Splitting lanes
According to the California Highway Patrol, the motorcyclist was riding a 2014 Yamaha south on 101 at a "high rate of speed," despite the heavy traffic.
He was splitting lanes when traffic suddenly came to a complete stop, according to the CHP. The motorcyclist then crashed into the rear end of a Ford and was thrown off the Yamaha, according to the CHP.
The driver of the Ford was not injured. She stayed at the scene to cooperate with the officers, police said.