Modesto motorcyclist dies in Manteca crash

A Modesto motorcyclist died Wednesday morning after rear-ending a car in Manteca.

The 52-year-old man was riding a Kawasaki motorcycle eastbound on Highway 120 at about 7:30 a.m. when he failed to notice in time that traffic in front of him had stopped near Main Street, according to California Highway Patrol officer James Smith.

The motorcyclist aggressively applied his brakes but struck the back of a Mercedes that had nearly come to a stop.

The motorcyclist was taken by ambulance to San Joaquin General Hospital in French Camp, where he died of his injuries. His name was not released Wednesday.

No information was available on whether the Mercedes driver was injured.

This story was originally published March 18, 2015 at 7:47 PM with the headline "Modesto motorcyclist dies in Manteca crash."