Updated at 10:52 p.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A 50-year-old Rochester man was killed in a motorcycle wreck this afternoon in south Thurston County, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Troopers were called just after 1:15 p.m. to the collision on Southwest Tilley Road near Goddard Road, east of Interstate 5.
The brand new Harley Davidson was northbound on Tilley Road when it struck a deer in the roadway, according to the state patrol.
The motorcyclist has been identified as Mark T. Mercurio.
Mercurio was wearing a helmet, according to the state patrol. His bike sustained an estimated $5,000 damage.
It’s unknown if alcohol or drugs may have been involved, according to the investigating trooper.