State Police on the New York State Thruway investigated a fatal motorcycle crash that occurred early Saturday morning. 

At approximately 3:50am, a motorcyclist, Darrin C. Francis, 23, of Saugerties, was traveling with another rider but lost sight of him shortly after entering the Thruway at New Paltz. When Francis did not meet up at their planned exit at Saugerties, the other rider attempted to contact him to no avail and reported Francis missing a short time later. State Police patrols checked their route of travel in the dark with no results.   

After daybreak, State Police patrols checked the same area and located the missing motorcyclist off the right shoulder of the roadway, down an embankment in a small, barely visible marshy area. Francis' body was located close by, where he was pronounced dead by Ulster County Coroner. 

State Police states that excess speed and driver inexperience are probable contributing factors; the investigation is continuing.