Motorcyclist killed in front of Tech campus

A motorcycle accident early last night in front of Tri-County Tech’s main campus at Pendleton took the life of the 45-year old operator–Anderson resident Christopher Eric Matthews.  According to the Anderson County coroner’s office, Matthews was not wearing a helmet and died at the scene of a traumatic head injury secondary to blunt force trauma.  The office of Coroner Greg Shore released this statement:  “The investigation indicates that the decedent was operating a Harley Davidson motorcycle traveling east on Highway 76 and appears to have lost control of his motorcycle and struck a pick-up truck and a passenger car in the rear before being thrown from his motorcycle.  The victim was traveling home and speed appears to be a factor in the collision. No other injuries were reported at the time of the collision.”  The investigation of the fatal accident is ongoing by the coroner’s office and the Pendleton police.