Motorcycle slams into rear of van; rider thrown through rear window

Killeen police have released the identity of a man who died Monday night when the motorcycle he was riding crashed into the back of a van on U.S. 190.

Ellsworth Allen Raup, III, 33, died at around 8 p.m. Monday when the motorcycle he was riding east on the highway crashed into the back of a van that also was eastbound near the Knight’s Way exit, Killeen police spokeswoman Ofelia Miramontez said Tuesday.

The preliminary investigation revealed that a green 1998 Toyota Sienna van was eastbound in the outside lane on Highway 190 and a black Honda motorcycle was traveling behind it.

Because of the construction on the highway, traffic ahead was being directed to one lane and was slowing down.

As the van came nearly to a stop, the operator of the motorcycle was following too closely and was unable to avoid colliding with the van, Miramontez said in a news release.

The motorcycle rider was thrown from the bike and crashed through the rear window of the van.

The van’s driver was transported to Seton Hospital with minor injuries.

The motorcycle rider was pronounced dead at the scene.

It was not known if an autopsy was ordered.

Raup was a Fort Hood soldier from Waynesville, Mo. who joined the Marine Corps in April 2002 and then the Army in February 2010.

He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from February 2004 to September 2004, September 2007 to February 2008 and in support of Operation New Dawn from July 2011 to July 2012, Fort Hood said.

He had been assigned to Fort Hood 79th Ordnance Battalion since March 2011.