Mounties have released the name of the man killed in a motorcycle crash north of Kamloops last weekend.

RCMP Sgt. Scott Wilson said 48-year-old Robert Backer died at the scene after his bike left the road near Paul Lake Road and the Pinantan-Pritchard Road turnoff just after 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Backer’s passenger on the bike, a 46-year-old Monte Creek woman whose name hasn’t been released, was taken to hospital with undetermined injuries.

Wilson said investigators are still looking for more information.

“Right now, the only witnesses we have is the person who was on the back of the motorcycle,” he said.

“She’s still not in a position to talk with us.”

Wilson said there is no indication that drugs or alcohol played a role in the wreck, and investigators believe there were no other vehicles involved.

Anyone who saw the crash is asked to call Kamloops RCMP at 250-314-1800.

* Warrant turns up equipment

Kamloops Mounties are hoping an arrest this week north of Chase will help them track down a number of pieces of heavy construction equipment that have gone missing in recent weeks.

RCMP Sgt. Scott Wilson said a search warrant executed at a Lee Creek property resulted in the arrest of a 45-year-old man.

“On the property, they recovered a new excavator — about a $400,000 excavator — taken recently out of Abbotsford,” he said, noting none of the excavators stolen from Kamloops have turned up yet.

“It doesn’t appear, at this point in time, we’ve located any of the items taken from Kamloops.”

Wilson said cops uncovered about $1.5-million worth of stolen goods from the Lee Creek property.

Since early August, at least four pieces of heavy equipment have been reported stolen in Kamloops, including a $115,000 Caterpillar loader from Savona and a $75,000 John Deere tractor from a dealership on Chilcotin Road.

Wilson said the equipment is likely being sold on the black market.

“I don’t think any criminal is going to take something unless they have a use for it or they have a buyer at the other end,” he said.

“Usually when you clamp down on one end, there’s an effect on the other end.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Kamloops Mounties at 250-828-3000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.