36-year-old man dies from injuries sustained in Portsmouth motorcycle crash

Portsmouth, RI — Police are investigating a local motorcycle crash that turned fatal.

According to Major Michael Morse, on Thursday at approximately 4:00 p.m., the Portsmouth Police Department responded to the area of West Main Road at the Route 24 North on-ramp for a reported motor vehicle crash involving one motorcycle. Officers were advised that the operator of the motorcycle appeared unconscious and unresponsive. The Portsmouth Fire Department was notified and also responded to the scene.

Upon arrival, Route 24 North at the on-ramp was closed and all traffic was diverted to allow first responders to provide aid and to investigate the crash.

The motorcycle operator was identified as 36-year-old Juan Pablo Garcia Castro, a resident of Middletown, Rhode Island.

Garcia Castro was transported by Portsmouth Fire to St. Anne’s Hospital and subsequently airlifted to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. On Monday, the department learned that Garcia Castro had passed away due to injuries he sustained from the crash.

Preliminary investigation revealed that Garcia Castro was traveling north on West Main Road and entered Route 24 North in the left lane. As the motorcycle entered the curve of the highway, the motorcycle changed lanes and then struck the guardrail causing Garcia Castro to be ejected from the motorcycle. The motorcycle then continued to travel after impact before coming to its’ final rest. Garcia Castro had been wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

The incident remains under investigation by the Portsmouth Police Detective Division and Accident Reconstruction Unit.