Driving school owner killed in Whidbey Island motorcycle crash

Edward C. Taylor of Burlington was killed in a motorcycle crash in Central Whidbey on Oct. 14.

Logo for news use featuring Whidbey Island in Island County, Washington. 220118

WHIDBEY ISLAND — The owner of a driving school in Burlington was killed in a motorcycle crash in Central Whidbey Oct. 14.

The Washington State Patrol reported that 60-year-old Edward C. Taylor of Burlington was riding a 2017 Kawasaki ZX-1400 north on Highway 525 when the accident occurred.

For an unknown reason, Taylor’s motorcycle left the roadway to the right near the intersection with Houston Road and crashed in the ditch.

The accident was reported just before 11 p.m.

Taylor was transported to WhidbeyHealth Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. He was wearing a federally compliant helmet. His motorcycle was totaled in the accident.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Radio station KISM reported that Taylor owned Taylor Driving School, one of the most successful truck driving schools in the state.

“Maybe these aren’t words usually associated with truck drivers, but Ed was a sweet man. R.I.P. Ed Taylor,” “Brad and John” of KISM reported, adding that he was on the show several times and got them behind the wheel of a big rig — which they succeeded in not crashing.

This story originally appeared in the Whidbey News Times, a sibling publication to The Herald.

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