Posted on 12/25/2025 10:49:00 AM PST by BFW
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.”
Spilled coffee will teach’ya...
I’ve been going inside the bank more frequently to withdraw money. I’m 82...so extra cautious about everything...
Always put it in park and remove your right foot from the gas pedal. I could see a mistake like that happening. Sad.
“ Spilled coffee will teach’ya...”
That’s for sure.
“They **** you at the drive through!!!”
Seriously, though: Tragic. Makes one wonder how many drive through accidents - injuries or otherwise - really occur annually in the US due to failure to control the vehicle.
When it comes to opening the door in that situation most people automatically put the car in park. I’ve done it and seen it a million times.
Don’t get your wallet out in full view.
“Hey, Let’s squeeze those dollars out of him!”
Saturated fat? Not climate change, the legacy of racism, or homophobia?
I doubt they'll need to sue.
McDonald's likely has already drafted a big fat check and they're just waiting for the ink to dry.
This being said, the driver should've put his vehicle into park if he was going to open the door. This is just basic common sense.
Never open the car door like that. Never.
I have done this same maneuver who knows how many dozens of times at fast food restaurants but especially drive through bank machines. With the bank machines especially if your car is too low, or if your truck is too high you can’t read or use the machines, get your food from hand the money or credit card to the person on the other side.
The difference is that I always put the vehicle in park or and/or set the brake. With this easy precaution you won’t enc up squishing yourself by accident. I assume however that McDonalds will end up getting sued anyway.
George Carlin: “Two freaks in a van collided with three freaks in a pickup truck.”...
2013 through 2018 Dodge Rams as well as 2018 Dodge Darts are currently under investigation for “unintentional movement out of park”.........
Let's face it. Nothing good can come of visiting the Golden Arches.
“Well the sign said “’Drive Thru Window’”...
Well, you can bet they will look for anyone they can find to blame but the fellow who did this to himself.
“I’m sure they will sue McDonald’s. The grounds will be something about how that drive through lane is not safe.”
After watching a driver opening his door to retrieve change and not putting the car in park, I asked the manager about it. She said that several customers at McDonald’s had experienced these exact accidents that she was aware of. It was probably pre cameras everywhere. We’re aware of so much more now because cameras are ubiquitous.
We call them accidents because we cannot determine what happened.
It usually turns out that distinctive actions are taken, or not done which led to the outcome. Then they are called “rare turn of events”.
Always sad because the event usually didn’t have to happen.
at least he didn’t suffer a long, lingering painful death from food poisoning
One of the CEOs of a company I worked for nearly lost his arm when we reached in to his mailbox and when the car went forward it crushed his arm.
My buddy near Tahoe ran himself over with his own snow plow trying to help someone stuck in the snow.
And then there is the poor guy Anton Yelchin was crushed to death by his own car opening the gate to his house.
My friends always complain when I pull in to the driveway and park and WALK to the mailbox rather than just pull beside the mail boxes and reach in.
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