Man arrested after fatal motorcycle crash in Spanish Fork

SPANISH FORK, Utah (ABC4) — A man living in Spanish Fork has been arrested following the death of a motorcycle driver in a crash yesterday afternoon.

Rafael Alvis, 55, has been arrested and is facing possible charges of criminal negligence automobile homicide, and driving under the influence.

According to documents, the officer who responded to the scene of the fatal motorcycle crash in Spanish Fork on July 2 arrived right before the motorcycle driver, who was in his 60s, was pronounced deceased.

The officer made contact with the driver of the Chevrolet truck that was involved in the crash. While speaking with Alvis, he allegedly told the officer that he struck the motorcycle while passing through the intersection, believing that he had a green light.

Alvis reportedly said that he pulled over to the shoulder and went back to see the victim. The officer at the scene said that Alvis had the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his person and breath, according to documents.

A person who witnessed the crash told police that they were waiting at the red light when they saw the Chevrolet truck approaching. They said that the driver allegedly appeared to be on his phone, holding it above the steering wheel. The witness then saw the motorcycle enter the intersection and collide with the truck.

Several drug tests were performed on Alvis. A breath sample was collected just before 5 p.m., over an hour after the crash, and came back as 0.008%. A urine test returned negative. A Drug Recognition Expert conducted a test and told police that they believed Alvis was under the influence of a depressant and an inhalant.

Due to the witness’s account of Alvis being on his phone at the time of the crash and the belief that he was under the influence, Alvis was arrested and is being held without bail for the death of the motorcycle driver.

This was the third fatal crash involving a motorcycle in Utah this week. The other crashes both involved 23-year-old victims. One occurred in American Fork and the other in West Valley City.