Motorcyclist dies, woman injured in North Las Vegas crash

By Tiffany Gibson

Saturday, May 29, 2010 | 4:52 p.m.

A 40-year-old man died Saturday after his motorcycle collided with a car in front of the North Las Vegas Police Department's main station, authorities said.

The man 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 the man and critically injuring the woman. She was taken to University Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, police said.

The man and woman weren't wearing adequate helmets, police said. Their names weren't being released Saturday evening.

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.

This is the third traffic fatality in North Las Vegas this year. All of the fatalities have been motorcycle riders.

North Las Vegas Police spokesman Tim Bedwell said it is important to wear approved safety equipment when riding on motorcycles. He said drivers should also be alert because motorcycles are harder to see. The speed and distance of a motorcycle is often more difficult to judge than a car, Bedwell said.

“Everyone must be aware that collisions involving motorcyclists have much greater potential for injury and death than those involving only passenger cars and trucks,” Bedwell said.

Lake Mead Boulevard was closed during the investigation.