It seems that Motley attempted to pass a car on a two lane highway. The driver of the car being overtaken sped up, and would not allow the car Motley was driving to merge safely in front of him.

A family of six Japanese laborers in what was described as a "jalopy" coming the opposite direction were hit head on by Motley's vehicle. Ted Nobori, 60, was killed and two other Nobori family members seriously injured. The driver of the third vehicle was never found or identified.