Two people killed in Labor Day motorcycle crashes

Two people were killed in a pair of motorcycle-related crashes on Nevada highways near Lake Tahoe on Labor Day, regional law enforcement officials said.

According to a Tuesday press release from Nevada Highway Patrol, troopers were dispatched to a crash at about 3:13 p.m. Monday to U.S. Highway 50 near Logans Creek Drive on Lake Tahoe's East Shore.

A 2004 Red Harley-Davidson occupied by two was traveling eastbound on the highway near Glenbrook when, for unknown reasons, it failed to negotiate a bend in the road, exited onto the dirt shoulder and collided with a culvert warning sign before coming to rest.

The passenger, Jennifer Lyrea Leonard, 50, of South Lake Tahoe, was ejected from the motorcycle and died at the scene. The driver, Charles Gilbert Leonard, 53, of South Lake Tahoe was air transported via CalStar to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno. The extent of his injuries are unknown.

Minutes later, NHP troopers were dispatched to a collision involving a motorcycle and a motor home on Highway 431, west of Sky Tavern.

According to NHP, a 2006 Yamaha motorcycle occupied by Patrick M. Zielke, 66, of Fallon, was traveling eastbound at about 3:25 p.m. on the highway just north of Lake Tahoe. For unknown reasons, the Yamaha crossed the double yellow center line on the two-lane Mt. Rose Highway and collided head-on with a 1985 Ford motorhome occupied by Michael Lee, 38, of Anchorage, Alaska, who was traveling westbound.

Zielke died; Lee was uninjured.

Trooper Doug Hildebrand of the Major Accident Investigation Team is investigating the Highway 50 crash. Witnesses or anyone with information can contact him at 775-721-9034 regarding case number 120903281.

NHP Sgt. Farmer of the Major Accident Investigation Team is investigating the Mt. Rose collision. Contact him at 775-315-1561 regarding case number 120903297.