Grandfather dies in ‘freak accident’ at McDonald’s drive-thru

A beloved grandfather died in what police are calling a “freak accident” at a Nebraska McDonald’s drive-thru.

Michael Dickinson, 69, suffered fatal injuries after he somehow became trapped between the payment window and his car at the fast food chain’s store in Grand Island, some 24 miles southwest of Lincoln, local authorities said.

“It appears the deceased opened the door to further reach out of the window for payment purposes,” Grand Island Police Division Chief Dean Elliott told KSNB-TV. “We’re not sure if the vehicle lurched forward or what happened, but he became pinned between the door frame and the drive-thru window counter.”

Dickinson was rushed to the CHI St. Francis emergency room, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

A McDonald’s employee was also injured trying to help Dickinson. Elliot said the fast food work climbed through the passenger door of Dickinson’s vehicle in a bid to free him, but was ultimately unsuccessful. He was also taken to the hospital, but he is expected to make a full recovery.

On a GoFundMe page, Dickinson’s family remembered him as “a devoted family man who cared deeply for those closest to him” and a “skilled and hardworking mechanic.”

“Michael took pride in his work and had a gift for fixing what was broken. It reflected who he was—reliable, practical, and dedicated,” they wrote. “Though his life was cut short, Michael’s love, loyalty, and kindness will live on in the hearts of his family and friends. He will be dearly missed and always remembered.”

An investigation into the matter is ongoing, but Elliot described it as “100% a freak accident.”