The Yukon Coroner’s Service is investigating two deaths following separate single-vehicle motorcycle incidents.

On the morning of June 8, Dawson City RCMP reported a motorcycle fatality that happened at kilometre 456 on the Dempster Highway to the coroner’s service.

A 66-year-old man from Columbus, Georgia, had been travelling alone on a 2006 BMW when it appears he lost control of his vehicle, the coroner’s service noted in a June 13 press release.

The death was declared at the scene, and the body was transported to Whitehorse. It has been determined that the deceased had left Georgia on May 15. He was travelling through the Yukon alone en route to Inuvik.

Then, on June 9, Whitehorse General Hospital reported the death of a motorcyclist who had been transferred to the hospital’s emergency room.

Thomas Errol Bolton, 62, from Coolidge, Georgia, had been travelling with two others, all on separate motorcycles.

Bolton had left Georgia on May 26, trucked motorcycles to Montana, and began his road trip through Alberta and into the Yukon, the coroner’s service said.

Alongside his friends, they were planning a tour of the Yukon and intended to head to Palmer, Alaska. They left Johnson’s Crossing on the morning of June 9, stopped briefly in Whitehorse, then continued north towards Dawson City.

Bolton was riding behind his friends and appeared to have caught loose gravel near Fox Lake and lost control of his vehicle. He was being transported to Whitehorse General Hospital by Yukon Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and sadly succumbed to his injuries en route, it was noted.

Both motorcyclists were carrying a substantial amount of gear on their vehicles. Although they were both from Georgia, they were not known to each other or otherwise connected.

“The Yukon Coroner’s Service continues to investigate both fatal accidents and appreciates the assistance of the Dawson City and Whitehorse detachments of the Yukon RCMP, the Yukon RCMP Traffic Analyst Team, Yukon EMS, the Whitehorse General Hospital and many others who assisted at the scenes of both of these tragic accidents,” it was noted.

“The Yukon Coroner’s Service also wants to express deep thanks to the people of Whitehorse and Fox Lake who extended their care and kindness to Mr. Bolton’s travelling companions at the time of this sudden loss of their friend.”

The coroner’s service went on to issue a reminder to take extreme caution when driving on Yukon roads and highways.

Contact Stephanie Waddell at stephanie.waddell@yukon-news.com