Thurston Coroner releases cause of death for motorcyclist who died on Vail Road
The cause of death for a 55-year-old man who died on Vail Road in a motorcycle crash has been released by the Thurston County Coroner.
About 5:15 p.m. June 18, Kyle D. Phillips was riding his motorcycle when he crashed in the 16500 block of Vail Road Southeast, which is southeast of Rainier.
The man was initially going to be airlifted to an area hospital, but he died at the scene, Lt. Cameron Simper previously told The Olympian.
Coroner Gary Warnock said Sunday, following the man’s medical exam on June 23, that he died as the result of multiple blunt force injuries.
Phillips’ manner of death was ruled accidental, Warnock said.
The Olympian asked if there was any indication that the man had suffered a medical event prior to the crash, but Warnock said that was not the case.
“The decedent was witnessed by another motorcyclist taking a curve at a high rate of speed,” Warnock added.
This story was originally published June 28, 2026 at 2:10 PM.
