Law enforcement officers may never know why a Rincon man decided to hit the gas on his motorcycle — and ended up dying as a result of a crash.

Robert Sciria was killed Wednesday at approximately 6 p.m. as his motorcycle hit a berm at the end of Frontage Road, after he reportedly failed to stop for a Rincon Police officer.

A Rincon officer was stationed near the Walmart parking lot observing traffic, Rincon Police Chief Phillip Scholl said, when he heard motorcycles coming up Highway 21.

“He came by at a high rate of speed,” Scholl said, “and it appeared they were racing.”

The officer turned on his blue lights and then attempted to catch up to the motorcycles. One of the riders slowed down, and the officer passed him. The other motorcycle, driven by Sciria, was weaving in and out of traffic, according to police, when it turned onto Frontage Road at the Westwood Heights subdivision.

Sciria hit a berm at the end of Frontage Road and was killed in the collision.

Why Sciria was going so fast and why he didn’t stop for the officer, Scholl said they may never know.

“The officer was so far back he couldn’t get a description of the bike or a description of the driver,” the chief said. “He just knew it was somebody on the bike and he knew they were moving.”

The other motorcyclist heeded law enforcement and pulled over, Scholl said.

According to his Facebook page, Sciria was assigned to A Company, 3/7 Infantry Battalion during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and was a the driver of a Bradley fighting vehicle involved in the “Thunder Runs” that led to the capture of Baghdad. Sciria was awarded a Purple Heart.

He was employed as a driver/operator at the Georgia Ports Authority. The Rincon resident was a native of Buffalo, N.Y.

“It was a tragic, tragic event,” Scholl said. “Our heart goes out to the families. It’s not something we ever want to see happen. It’s not the intent of any officer to put themselves in the position where somebody is going to get hurt.”