Two die in crash of motorcycle

The Montana Highway Patrol says a motorcycle collided Tuesday with a pickup truck turning left off of U.S. 2 in Northwest Montana, killing the two Oregon residents on the motorcycle.

The patrol says the pickup, which was pulling a camper, had slowed to turn left on the highway between Kalispell and Libby shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday.

The driver of the truck began his turn as a 2009 Harley Davidson motorcycle began passing the truck.

Randy Burningham, 59, and his wife Brenda, 54, from Salem, Ore., died in the crash.

The 42-year-old Kalispell man driving the truck and his 16-year-old passenger were not injured.

The patrol is still investigating the crash, including whether the signals on the truck and trailer were working.

According to data provided by the Montana Highway Patrol, the deaths bring the number of traffic fatalities in the Kalispell District — which includes Flathead, Lake and Lincoln counties — to 12 for 2011. There were 18 such fatalities in 2010 and 21 in 2009.