A late-night motorcycle crash on northbound I-35W in Minneapolis left a 21-year-old rider dead early Friday, after his bike slammed into a guardrail near Johnson Street. Emergency crews found the man on the shoulder, and he was pronounced dead at the scene as investigators began piecing together what went wrong on the otherwise routine overnight commute.
Crash details
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the crash happened around 1:20 a.m. on April 17 on northbound I-35W at Johnson Street. The rider has been identified as 21-year-old Andrew James Neuberger of Minneapolis.
The State Patrol report says Neuberger was on a 2005 Suzuki GSX-R750 when the motorcycle struck the left-side median guardrail, continued for roughly a quarter mile, and ultimately came to rest on the right-side guardrail. Neuberger was found on the left shoulder and died at the scene. The incident record notes that he was wearing a helmet and that alcohol is not suspected. Troopers have listed a case contact number for anyone with information as they continue their investigation.
Family and community
Local coverage reports that a GoFundMe has been created to help Neuberger’s family, and that he was the oldest of seven children, as FOX 9 notes. Relatives and friends have started sharing memories online while the family works through funeral arrangements and the sudden loss of a young son and sibling.
What authorities say
Troopers were called to the scene on northbound I-35W at Johnson Street around 1:20 a.m., and the State Patrol is leading the case. Reporting from CBS Minnesota notes that investigators have not yet said what caused the motorcycle to leave the roadway and strike the guardrail. Officials say more information will be released once they have a clearer picture of the sequence of events.
Rider safety and seasonality
Motorcyclists make up a disproportionately high share of traffic deaths in Minnesota, even though they represent a much smaller slice of total vehicles on the road. State crash data show that fatalities often climb in the warmer months, a period traffic officials sometimes refer to as the "100 deadliest days" because of the spike in serious crashes.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety notes that collisions with fixed objects, including guardrails, are a common factor in fatal motorcycle wrecks on highways. Riders have little margin for error at higher speeds, which can make even a single contact with a barrier deadly.
How to help
State Patrol investigators are asking anyone who may have seen the crash, or who was driving in the area around 1:20 a.m., to contact the West Metro case line at 763-591-4680 using the number listed on the incident record. The case remains open, and authorities say they will release additional details as they are confirmed.
