Man dies in ‘freak accident’ in McDonald’s drive thru in Grand Island

HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - A Grand Island man has died in what police are calling a “freak accident” in a McDonald’s drive-thru Tuesday morning.

Police and firefighters were called just before 10:30 a.m. to the McDonalds on 2nd Street, where they found a man trapped between his vehicle and the fast food restaurant payment window. He was taken to the CHI St. Francis emergency room, where he was pronounced dead.

Grand Island Police Division Chief Dean Elliott said it was “100% a freak accident”.

“It appears the deceased opened the door to further reach out the window for payment purposes.” Elliott said. “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 identified the man as 69-year-old Michael Dickinson. Police said he was the only person inside the vehicle.

Elliott said a McDonald’s employee went outside to help by going through the passenger side of the vehicle and was injured in the process. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance and is expected to be okay.

The Grand Island Police Department’s Accident Reconstruction Team is assisting with the investigation.

The scene was cleared at 12:35 p.m., and the McDonald’s remained open after the incident.