MUDDY CREEK TWP — A Butler County man was killed Sunday night when he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed on Route 422 in the township, state police said.

Thomas L. Shaffer, 49, of Worth Township was pronounced dead at the scene of the wreck about 6:20 p.m.

Police said Shaffer was eastbound on Route 422 and driving too fast on the off-ramp to Route 19 when his 2007 Suzuki GSX motorcycle went off the road and hit an embankment on the south berm.

Shaffer, who was wearing a helmet, was thrown off his bike. A cause of death was not immediately available.

Butler County Deputy Coroner Dennis Trzeciak, who pronounced Shaffer dead, could not be reached for comment this morning.

The death is the ninth one in the past five months involving motorcycles on county roads.