SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Authorities have identified the two men who died in a motorcycle crash in Sioux Falls last week as 56-year-old Erik Boyles and 55-year-old Travis Gallop, both longtime residents of the city.
According to the Sioux Falls Police Department, the fatal collision occurred at approximately 9:19 p.m. on June 5 near the intersection of Russell Street and Kiwanis Avenue.
Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene after receiving reports of a serious motorcycle accident. Preliminary investigations indicate that Boyles and Gallop were riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles westbound on Russell Street when the crash occurred.
Investigators believe one motorcycle may have made contact with the other as the riders navigated a curve in the roadway. The impact caused both motorcycles to leave the road and enter the center median, where the riders struck a guardrail. Both men suffered fatal injuries and were pronounced dead as a result of the crash.
Police confirmed that the two men had been riding together prior to the incident. The circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation.
Authorities said speed is being examined as a possible contributing factor. Toxicology tests have also been ordered as part of the investigation to determine whether alcohol or drugs may have played a role in the crash.
Next of kin have been notified, and investigators continue to gather evidence and review the circumstances leading up to the fatal collision.
The deaths of Boyles and Gallop have left family members, friends, and members of the Sioux Falls community mourning their loss. In response to the tragedy, a GoFundMe campaign has been established to assist Travis Gallop’s family with funeral expenses and other unexpected costs. Community members have begun offering financial support and sharing messages of sympathy and remembrance.
Anyone with information that could assist investigators is encouraged to contact the Sioux Falls Police Department as the investigation remains ongoing.
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