Harley Rider Killed in Clay County Crash

An Independence man was killed in a motorcycle accident that occurred Sunday morning in Clay County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports that a southbound 2014 Harley Davidson, driven by 44-year-old Matthew A. Byrd of Independence, was on the ramp from I-35 southbound to I-435 southbound sometime after 5:30 a.m., when the motorcycle ran off the left side of the roadway and struck a drainage culvert, ejecting the driver.

Byrd was pronounced dead at the scene by Pleasant Valley Firefighter Carl Hesse at 5:52 a.m.

The Harley was totaled.

Pleasant Valley Police and Claycomo Police assisted the four Troopers on scene.