by Grand Island, Nebraska – A 69-year-old man died after becoming pinned between his vehicle and a building while using a McDonald’s drive-thru lane, according to a statement released by local authorities.
Victim Identified After Emergency Response
Grand Island Police and Fire Departments were dispatched to the drive-thru of a McDonald’s location after receiving reports of a person trapped between a vehicle and the restaurant’s exterior wall.
Officers found the man pinned between the driver’s door and the building. He was later identified as Michael Dickinson, a resident of Grand Island. Police confirmed Dickinson was the only person inside the vehicle at the time of the incident.
Police Describe Incident as a “Freak Accident”
While the investigation remains ongoing, Grand Island Police Division Chief Dean Elliott described the incident as highly unusual.
“It appears the deceased opened the door to further reach out the window for payment purposes,” Elliott told KSNB. “We’re not sure if the vehicle lurched forward or what happened, but he got pinched between the door frame and the drive-thru window counter.”
Authorities have not yet determined whether mechanical failure, vehicle movement, or another factor caused the accident.
McDonald’s Employee Also Injured
Police said a McDonald’s employee was injured while attempting to assist Dickinson from the passenger side of the vehicle. The employee was transported to a hospital by ambulance and is expected to recover.
Emergency responders worked at the scene, but Dickinson was pronounced dead as a result of his injuries.
Investigation Ongoing
Officials say the case remains under active investigation as they work to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the fatal accident. No additional details have been released at this time.
The incident was first reported by KSNB, citing information provided by Grand Island Police.
