Tragic fall of record-breaking stuntman

Stunt rider Alex Harvill has died from injuries sustained while practicing to set a world-record motorcycle jump in Moses Lake, Washington, officials said.

Harvill, 28, died Thursday from his injuries, Grant County Coroner Craig Morrison said.

In a statement, he said:

Our deepest sympathies go out to Alex’s family, friends and loved ones.

Harvill was attempting to jump more than the length of a football field on his motorcycle during a performance at the Moses Lake Air Show when he crashed.

Graphic video taken at the Moses Lake Airshow shows the Ephrata, Washington resident launch off the ramp during a warm up run and come up short, slamming into the side of a large dirt mound.

The crash sent Harvill flying over the handlebars of his Suzuki 450 and flipping dozens of feet forward. It’s not yet clear if he died at the scene or was pronounced dead after first responders took him to the hospital.

The organizer of the airshow told KREM that they had medical personnel prepared for Harvill, as they knew this stunt was risky.

According to video KREM shot, it was about 2 minutes and 30 seconds before an EMT reached the stuntman after the crash.

An autopsy will be conducted Friday to confirm the exact cause and manner of death, which is standard procedure, officials said.

Born in Corona, California, Harvill was an experienced rider who had already achieved a world record jump – as a 19-year-old he shattered a ramp to dirt record of 392 feet by landing a 425-foot jump on May 12, 2012.

He also held the longest dirt to dirt motorcycle jump at 297 feet after clearing the gap at Horn Rapids Motorsports Complex in West Richland, Washington.

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Harvill is survived by his wife Jessica and his children, 5-year-old Willis and newborn Watson.

CBS News