This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

A motorcyclist died Friday night in a South Salt Lake freeway crash.

Jefferson David Varner, 53, of Magna, was driving southbound on Interstate 15 when traffic "began to get heavy" near 3200 South in South Salt Lake, according to a Utah Highway Patrol news release.

At about 7:10 p.m., he tried to change lanes to avoid a vehicle ahead of him, but he hit the vehicle's left-rear corner and was thrown from the motorcycle, the release adds.

Varner died at the scene. He was not wearing a helmet.

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