Cody Kier

The man who died Friday in a motorcycle accident has been identified as a Mars High School alumnus.

Despite wearing a helmet, Cody James Kier, 29, of Valencia died from blunt force trauma to the head, neck and chest, according to Butler County Coroner William F. Young III.

Young said Kier drove off a bend in the road and struck a tree along Ridge Road in Adams Township.

Young said Kier was pronounced dead at the scene at about 3:30 p.m. Friday. He said Kier was riding a motorcycle that appeared to be a cross between an off-road and street bike.

Carol Kier, the man's mother, said her son has been riding motorcycles since he was young and had an interest in dirt bikes. She said he had ridden street bikes more frequently in recent years because he used the vehicles as transportation rather than recreation.

“Mostly it was driving it to work,” Kier said. “Thankfully he wore his helmet and his gloves, but that didn't even save him this time.”

Kier was a 2007 graduate of Mars High School, where he participated in long distance running and hockey.

“He played hockey from the second grade all the way to his second year at Pitt-Johnstown,” Kier said. “I have a room full of trophies.”

Carol Kier said her son was studying engineering at Pitt-Johnstown and transferred to the University of Pittsburgh's main campus, but never completed his degree. She said he had been working two jobs to pay off his student loans and was thinking about returning to school.

Kier was employed at James Austin Co. and Willie's Tavern, where Carol Kier said he was well-respected.

“He was the one in charge of the trains that would come in (at Austin),” she said. “Everywhere he worked, they would praise him.”

Carol Kier said her son worked hard and got along with people.

“He was smart and he was personable. He got along with people very well,” she said.

She said he was sociable with his friends, but he was also quiet and reserved.

“He was kind of pensive and kind of quiet, but when he was with his friends he was very fun,” Carol Kier said.

Carol Kier said her son lived at home with her. She was thankful to have her son around after her husband, Kier's father, Gary, died two years ago.

“He was living here with me, and I loved it because he would cook for me and fuss over me,” she said.

Carol said she knows others will miss her son as well.

“Cody was wonderful,” she said. “He was a born-again Christian. I know where he's at. I'm just really missing him.”

Funeral arrangements have been made through McDonald-Aeberli Funeral Home in Mars.

Police had not released any information about the crash as of Sunday night.

His obituary is on Page 8.