A 78-year-old South Whitehall Township man with Lehighton ties died on Tuesday after a motorcycle he was operating struck a tractor-trailer on Route 873 at Mountain Road in Washington Township, north of Slatington.

Alfred M. Kotsch was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:18 p.m. by Lehigh County Deputy Coroner Jason Nicholas. Officials said he sustained multiple traumatic injuries.His obituary, which appears in today's Times News, states Kotsch was an accomplished musician who owned the former Kotsch's Music House, Lehighton.State police at the Bethlehem barracks said Kotsch was driving the motorcycle north on Route 873 at 3:24 p.m. when the truck was traveling south. When both vehicles turned to go west off Mountain Road, the right side of the motorcycle hit the driver's side rear axle of the truck, after which time the motorcycle slid under the truck.The driver of the truck was not identified by police.Police were assisted at the scene by paramedics from the Northern Valley EMS, Slatington police and the Slatington Fire Company and fire police.