STRATHAM - A Raymond man was driving the 2007 Yamaha motorcycle that crashed early Tuesday morning on Route 101 West, killing him and his Massachusetts passenger, according to state police.

Investigators identified the driver as Michael Gazeaud, 36, and his passenger as Alexa Christakos, 23, of Lowell, Mass. Police believe the crash happened about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday but was not discovered until 6:30 a.m. when a passing motorist reported seeing a motorcycle on its side about a half-mile east of Exit 10 on Route 101 West.

Gazeaud and Christakos were pronounced dead at the scene, according to state police Capt. John LeLacheur..

The accident was discovered at daylight – six hours after a state trooper running radar clocked a motorcyclist traveling at 119 mph on Route 101 two miles east in Exeter, LeLacheur said. Police believe the crashed motorcycle and the one clocked are the same.

“What happened was as the sun came up a person reported a motorcycle lying on the side of the road. When the first trooper got here he found there was a double fatality, two occupants on one motorcycle,” LeLacheur said.

LeLacheur said the trooper tried to keep a visual on the motorcycle when he clocked it, but after he drove 100 yards realized the bike was already out of sight.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation, but speed is believed to be a factor, LeLacheur said.

The motorcyclist first struck a small road sign and then hit a larger sign for Exit 10 a short distance away. LeLacheur said the female passenger was thrown off the motorcycle while the male operator remained with it until it crashed.