Police appeal for witness information after biker

POLICE are appealing for witnesses as they investigate the death of a 39-year-old rider and they're asking bikers if they can help provide the missing pieces of the picture they still trying to build up.

Carl Baxter, of Market Weighton, was seriously injured when his bike was in a head-on smash with two cars on the A170, between Kirkbymoorside and Pickering, at about 2.30pm on Sunday January 14.

He was airlifted to York Hospital but died later.

He was riding towards Kirkbymoorside when his 1300cc Suzuki collided with an oncoming black BMW 118 and a silver Ford Mondeo near the turn to Keldholme.

Road policing officer Richard Hammond said: "We still need to know more about what happened in the collision itself, and about the riding of Mr Baxter and the driving of the two cars. I believe that some other road users who were on the A170 that afternoon may well be able to help."

Officers are keen to speak to the rider and pillion passenger on a large-capacity motorcycle which was travelling towards Kirkbymoorside.

The pillion passenger was seen waving at oncoming traffic, trying to slow vehicles as they neared the crash scene. They also want to contact the riders of two other large machines who were travelling in the same direction as Mr Baxter. One motorcycle was red and white and the other was blue or black.

There may also have been two other bikes that stopped briefly at the scene before riding off in the direction of Kirkbymoorside, and a green BMW estate car was seen leaving Kirkbymoorside in the direction of the crash shortly before it happened Mr Baxter was the first motorcyclist to die on North Yorkshire's roads this year.

Anyone who can help is asked to phone Scarborough Road Policing witness line on 01723 509 555.