One person killed and four injured in separate motorcycle accidents

By Melanie Dostisand Adam Sege, Globe Correspondents

One person died and four others were taken to Boston hospitals after four motorcycle accidents Monday in the ­Boston area.

An unidentified man died Monday morning after his motor­cycle crashed into an ­MBTA van in Jamaica Plain, ­police said. Authorities said the crash occurred at 9:36 a.m. near 490 Walnut Ave. The motor­cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the van was taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, said David Estrada, a spokesman for the Boston ­Police Department.

A spokesman for the MBTA, Joe Pesaturo, said the van was stopped at the time of the collision. The van belongs to The Ride, a transportation service for disabled residents. It was carrying no passengers, said ­Pesaturo.

The state medical examiner will determine the cause of death, Estrada said.

Motorcycle accidents also occurred in Brookline, Chelsea, and Westwood, according to police.

In Brookline, a Boston ­police officer was injured when the motorcycle he was driving was involved in a crash on Goddard Avenue after he tried to avoid a small animal, police said. The officer, who was not identified, was taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening after the 5 p.m. accident, Estrada said.

In Chelsea, an unidentified 58-year-old male from ­Peabody collided with a minivan on the northbound side of Route 1 ­after he lost control of his motor­cycle, State Police said. The motorcyclist suffered life-threatening-injuries in the crash and was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital ­after the 4:35 p.m. accident, said State Police spokesman David Procopio.

The driver of the minivan, a 35-year-old male, and his passenger, a 23-year-old, were not injured, Procopio said.

“Evidence suggests speed and erratic operation by the motorcyclist were contributing factors in the crash,” Procopio said in a statement.

Another motorcyclist was flown to a hospital by medical helicopter after a crash on the southbound side of Route 128 near the Dedham/Norwood ­exit at 4 p.m., Procopio said.

A 39-year-old man from Stoughton, who was not identified, lost control of his motor­cycle and crashed, Procopio said.

He was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with ­serious injuries.