Motorcyclist dies, passenger injured in North Las Vegas accident

A man died and a female passenger was critically injured Saturday afternoon when the motorcycle they were riding collided with a car on Lake Mead Boulevard near Bruce Street, North Las Vegas police said.

Sgt. Tim Bedwell said the collision occurred at 12:37 p.m.

The names of the deceased Las Vegas man, 40, and the female passenger, 36, of North Las Vegas, were not released. The man died at the scene, and the woman was taken to University Medical Center in critical condition, Bedwell said.

He said an 83-year-old man driving a Nissan Versa was headed east on Lake Mead and turned north on Bruce while the motorcycle was traveling west on Lake Mead. That's when the vehicles collided.

Police said excessive speed on the part of the motorcyclist may have been a factor. Both motorcyclists were wearing helmets of poor quality that provided them with little protection, police said.

The Nissan driver submitted a blood test to police. There was no indication that he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, Bedwell said.

He said the fatality is the third this year within the jurisdiction of North Las Vegas police. All the fatalities involved motorcyclists.