CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One person is dead following a crash on Independence Boulevard and Eastway Drive Monday evening, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Inbound Independence Boulevard was closed for several hours Monday evening near Eastway Drive and police urged drivers to avoid the area and take an alternate route.
The CATS bus was not directly involved in the crash.
CATS released the following statement about the incident:
"At approximately 6:30 p.m. today, a vehicle collided with a motorcyclist, causing the motorcycle, not the motorcyclist, to slide under CATS bus 668 on Route 51 at Independence Boulevard and Eastway Drive. For further questions, please contact CMPD, who are currently investigating the incident."
On Wednesday, CMPD identified the motorcyclist as 27-year-old Timothy Daniel Pickell. He was declared dead on the scene.
Officers said their preliminary investigation indicates Pickell was swerving in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed, hitting the rear of a Dodge Charger. Pickell was then ejected from his motorcycle, which continued on to hit the CATS bus.
Pickell was wearing a helmet at the time.
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