Questions linger around death of motorcyclist Carlin Dunne

Sunday, The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb ended in disaster for one driver and his family.

36-year-old motorcyclist Carlin Dunne from Santa Barbara died after wrecking his bike on the last turn of the race just 20 yards away from the finish line at the summit.

On Monday, details into how Dunne lost control of his bike and subsequently died on the mountain are still unclear.

The wreck occurred around 10:30 a.m. Sunday morning and Dunne’s death was announced around 3:00 p.m. that afternoon.

PPIHC representatives tell KRDO they are conducting an internal investigation into the crash. However, they would not comment any further until the investigation is complete.

KRDO reached out to several agencies including the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, the Colorado State Patrol, Colorado Springs Police Department, and OSHA — none are investigating into Dunne’s death.

El Paso County Sheriff’s Office say the wreck wasn’t criminal in nature, and it was on a closed course.

As of Monday, it appears that only the PPIHC organization itself will look into the crash and determine if it could have been prevented. It is unclear whether those questions will be answered.

“We all know that racing can be dangerous but you take the necessary precautions,” said Carlin Dunne on CNN just days before he rode in the 2019 Hill Climb. ” You get to the finish line at 14,000 feet , and to be standing at what seems like the top of the world feels great. You can see the curvature, you can see the corners of Colorado and to the other side. It’s very hard to explain. It’s hard to put into words. ”

After the news of Dunne’s death, friends and family held a vigil at Carlin Dunne’s bike shop in Santa Barbara.

Dunne’s death is the seventh in the event’s 97 years of history.