Man dies of gunshot wound in Whitman County motorcycle crash

A man died of a gunshot wound to the head and crashed his motorcycle about 8:20 tonight on Highway 23 in Whitman County, about three miles south of Sprague. It is unclear how the man sustained the gunshot wound and whether he was shot before or after crashing, a Washington State Patrol dispatcher said. Investigators recovered the firearm at the scene. The highway is fully blocked while authorities investigate the incident, he said. It is unknown when it will reopen, and no alternate route is available. Details surrounding the crash are still unclear and the cause is unknown. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the deceased. No other vehicles were involved. Washington State Patrol is investigating the incident with the assistance of the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office.