GRAND ISLAND, NE : A two-vehicle crash in Grand Island on Thursday, August 10, 2017

James R. O’Brien of Loup City, Nebraska, was killed in a two-vehicle crash in Grand Island about noon Thursday.

The crash took place when O’Brien, 46, who was southbound on U.S. Highway 281 on a motorcycle, sped up to beat the traffic signal and entered an intersection under a red light, Grand Island police said.

The driver of a car, Raymond Schmidt, 25, of York, Nebraska, had entered the intersection northbound on Highway 281 and, after waiting, turned west, colliding with the motorcycle.

O’Brien was riding a 2010 Harley-Davidson. Schmidt was driving a 2015 Chevrolet Sonic.

Police said a contributing factor in the crash was that O’Brien was wearing a novelty helmet.

A DOT-approved helmet may have prevented the seriousness of the head injury contributing to his death, police said.

Source :
Loup City motorcyclist, 46, killed in Grand Island crash