BIRMINGHAM — A biker heading to a memorial motorcycle rally died Saturday afternoon in a crash on state Route 113.

Steven L. Dittmer, 45, of Lorain, died almost immediately of severe brain injuries, county Coroner Paul Matus said.

“He was thrown about 30 feet from his bike and had skull fractures,” Trooper Clifton Dowell of the Ohio Highway Patrol said. “There was a witness that checked his pulse within a few seconds of the crash, and there was no pulse, nothing at all.”

Dittmer had been heading east at 3:27 p.m. and tried to pass three other vehicles between Baird and Vermilion roads, Dowell said.

But he said one of the cars —a Mazda CX7 driven by 63-year-old Joanne M. Wright of Wakeman — turned into the driveway of Harbourtown Towing & Auto Body, and Dittmer smashed into the rear door on the driver’s side.

Wright was not injured, but there was nothing anyone could do to save Dittmer, who was not wearing a helmet, Dowell said.

There was no evidence of alcohol or drug use, and the crash remains under investigation, troopers said.

Dowell said Dittmer was looking to join a large group of bikers heading to a memorial motorcycle ride.

Art Koppenhafer of the Blue Knights Motorcycle Club in Amherst said he doesn’t know of any such rides this weekend.

Contact Jason Hawk at 329-7148 or jhawk@chroniclet.com.

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