A motorcyclist died Thursday morning in a crash in central Salem, according to Salem police. At 10:03 a.m. Thursday, a car hit and killed a motorcyclist in the intersection of Southeast Hines Street and 18th Street, the Salem Police Department said in an email. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The victim’s name was not made public and the driver, who also was not identified, stayed on the scene and is cooperating with the department’s traffic team, Sgt. Jon Hardy, Salem police spokesperson, said. The department first announced the crash in a traffic notification at 10:30 a.m. alerting people that Southeast Hines Street is closed between Mission and 17th Streets and Southeast 18th Street is closed between Waller and Cross Streets. The social media post said the streets are expected to be closed for “a significant period of time.” This is Salem’s first fatal crash of 2026. Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected]. LOCAL NEWS DELIVERED TO YOU: Subscribe to Salem Reporter and get all the fact-based Salem news that matters to you. Fair, accurate, trusted – SUBSCRIBE. The post Motorcyclist dies in fatal crash on Hines Street, nearby streets closed appeared first on Salem Reporter. ...read more read less