James Charles Chitwood, 20, of Maricopa died just before 3 p.m. Saturday when the 2008 Yamaha motorcycle he was riding west on Taft Highway near Tupman Road drifted into oncoming traffic and collided with a 2003 Dodge Durango, according to California Highway Patrol and Kern County Sheriff's reports.

The driver of the Durango, Paula Alice Miles, 41, of Taft was driving east at about 60 miles per hour when the collision occurred.

She was transported to Kern Medical Center with minor injuries and was treated and released, according to a report from the Kern County Sheriff's Department's coroner's division.

Chitwood was traveling at an unknown rate of speed according to California Highway Patrol reports.

It is unknown why his vehicle drifted into oncoming traffic.

Chitwood was thrown from his motorcycle and died at the scene, coroner's officials reported.

The accident prompted the CHP to close Taft Highway for more than two hours.