Richardson, Texas — Elija Cazares Smith was riding north on the frontage road Monday evening when his motorcycle collided with a vehicle turning left at Arapaho Road, a crash that ended with the 28-year-old motorcyclist dead.
The collision was reported at about 5:45 p.m. on August 24, 2026, at the intersection of Arapaho Road and the east frontage road of North Central Expressway. Richardson police said the crash involved Smith’s motorcycle and a passenger vehicle.
According to the preliminary investigation, the two vehicles were traveling northbound toward the intersection. Police said Smith’s motorcycle was in an inside lane reserved for left turns but attempted to go straight through the intersection.
The passenger vehicle was in the outside lane next to the motorcycle. That lane permitted drivers to turn left or continue straight. As the vehicle turned left toward westbound Arapaho Road, the motorcycle struck the driver’s side.
The impact did not stop there. The motorcycle hit a traffic signal pole, and Smith was thrown from it. Paramedics with the Richardson Fire Department transported him to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The driver of the passenger vehicle escaped the crash without injuries. Authorities have not released that driver’s name, and there has been no announcement of citations or criminal charges.
Richardson police sent their Special Crash Investigation Team to the scene. Investigators are still working to determine the circumstances surrounding the collision, and the preliminary findings could change as the investigation continues.
The crash has left Smith’s loved ones dealing with a loss that came without warning. At 28, he had much of life still ahead of him, but a collision at a Richardson intersection brought that life to an abrupt end.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the crash. The confirmed details so far show a motorcycle, a turning passenger vehicle, a traffic signal pole and a young man who never made it home from the road that evening.
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