Coroner’s office IDs motorcyclist killed in crash

By Tiffany Gibson

Tuesday, June 1, 2010 | 11:17 a.m.

The Clark County Coroner’s Office has identified a man who died Saturday after his motorcycle collided with a car in front of the North Las Vegas Police Department’s main station as 40-year-old Derek Trotter.

Trotter was on a 2005 Harley-Davidson motorcycle westbound on Lake Mead Boulevard while transporting a 36-year-old woman as a passenger, police said. The motorcycle crashed into a 2009 Nissan Versa at 12:37 p.m. at the intersection of Lake Mead and Bruce Street, police said.

Officers said an 83-year-old man driving the Nissan turned left on Bruce in front of the motorcycle.

The motorcycle struck the right side of the Nissan, killing Trotter and critically injuring the woman. She was taken to University Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, police said.

Trotter was pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner’s office said he died of blunt head and chest trauma. His death has been ruled accidental.

Police on Saturday said Trotter and the woman weren't wearing adequate helmets.

The Nissan driver wasn't injured and submitted to a voluntary blood test, police said. Drugs and alcohol aren't suspected to be factors in the crash, authorities said.

Police said the motorcycle’s speed might have been a factor, but they won’t know for sure until an investigation is complete. The status of the traffic signal at the time of the collision is unknown, police said. No charges have been filed in the crash.