A Barnesville man lost his life Wednesday on the Hometown Hill when his motorcycle lost control, struck a car then veered off the roadway and crashed into a parked truck.

Rush Township police say Brian C. Bittner, 38, was operating a Harley-Davidson motorcycle northbound on Claremont Avenue, Route 309, in Hometown, about 7:15 p.m. when he lost control, crossed over the double yellow lines, and then struck the rear of a Chevrolet Impala that was driving south.According to Sgt. Duane Frederick, Bittner then continued northbound and struck a parked vehicle in the lot of Seitz Brothers Exterminating at 83 Claremont Ave.Emergency responders from Rush Township and Tamaqua initially were summoned by a Schuylkill Communications Center dispatch for a report of a collision in which the motorcyclist suffered a severe foot injury.Arriving at the scene near Ye Old Hauto Road, responders issued a call to summon a medical airlift service and preparations were being made to set up a helicopter landing zone at the intersection of Routes 54 and 309.However, while those arrangements were underway, the victim died of injuries at the scene and a coroner was summoned.Bittner was pronounced dead at 8:10 p.m. by Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner Andrew Szcyglak of Shenandoah.Investigating officer was patrolman Adam Sinton.Traffic was backed up in both directions on Route 309 between Tamaqua and Hometown, along Route 54 both eastbound and westbound in Hometown, and at Taggartsville Road near Tamaqua.Among the units responding, in addition to Rush Township police, were Tamaqua police, Tamaqua Rescue Squad, Tamaqua Fire Department, Hometown Fire Company, Quakake Fire Company, Tamaqua Community Ambulance, Lehighton Ambulance, and Hometown and Tamaqua fire police.Extra fire police were summoned to help with traffic control.The highway was reopened to traffic at 9 p.m.Frederick said the crash is still under investigation.Bittner was a 1995 graduate of Tamaqua Area High School and entered the U.S. Air Force after graduation. He served in active combat in Kuwait.Up until last year, he was employed at Lehigh Natural Resources in Tamaqua, and also for a time served as manager of Bittner's General Store in Tamaqua, a family-owned and operated business.Friends say he was a loving man who had a ready smile and gleam in his eye.In 2012, he appeared with his son in the Andreas Halloween Parade dressed in a patriotic costume.He played the guitar and had a passion for music, appearing with the band "Almost Acoustic," among others."He was funny and could make anyone laugh," said his longtime partner Sarah Coleman.He left behind three children, Declan Coleman, 7, Koreena Bittner, 6, and Flynn Coleman, 5.