A tragic incident occurred at a McDonald’s drive-through in Grand Island, Nebraska, where a customer lost his life in a freak accident while attempting to pay for his order. The victim, identified as Michael Dickinson, 69, was fatally crushed between his vehicle and the building’s exterior. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Dickinson could not be saved.
According to Grand Island Police Division Chief Dean Elliott, the accident was described as unusual. Dickinson was alone in the vehicle and suffered fatal injuries during the incident. An attempt to assist Dickinson by a McDonald’s worker also resulted in injuries when trying to enter through the passenger side of the car. The Accident Reconstruction Team is aiding in the investigation.
In a similar tragic incident in Vancouver in 2021, a man named Tony Eyles lost his life at a McDonald’s drive-through due to a comparable accident involving his vehicle. CCTV footage revealed Eyles dropping his bank card and attempting to retrieve it, causing the car to roll forward and trap him, leading to his death. Vancouver Police expressed condolences to Eyles’ family and mentioned the impact on witnesses, offering victim services to the affected staff.
These incidents are particularly unusual as they involve single-vehicle accidents resulting in fatalities, unlike typical car accidents. Vancouver Police Constable Tania Visintin commented on the rarity of these events, highlighting the shock experienced by witnesses and employees at the scenes. The incidents were described as freak accidents due to the lack of involvement of other vehicles.
In a separate unfortunate incident, a group of children witnessed Santa Claus falling to his death, adding to the string of tragic events.