MISSOULA — The Missoula County Sheriff's Office has released the name of the Helena man who died in a motorcycle crash on Monday, July 13th.
Sheriff TJ McDermott says the man has been identified as Tracy William Merritt; he was 59 years old.
The Montana Highway Patrol reported that Merritt died in the crash near Seeley Lake.
The crash happened at around 4:05 p.m. near mile marker 16.4 on Highway 83.
The MHP says Merritt was driving a Harley Davidson southbound toward Seeley Lake when he hit a deer.
The motorcycle then overturned, went off the road, and struck a tree; Merritt sustained fatal injuries.
A 63-year-old Helena woman who was also on the motorcycle was hurt in the crash and taken to a hospital; the nature and extent of her injuries has not been disclosed.
Both people were wearing helmets, according to the MHP, and alcohol, speed, and drugs are not suspected factors in the crash.