Woman dies after hitting head on railroad crossing arm

MINOT, N.D. – One woman is dead and one man has charges pending following a motorcycle crash in Minot.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol says on Sunday, April 25 around 10 p.m., 42-year-old Harry Hughes Jr. of Minot was going down Valley Street on his motorcycle with a passenger.

The crash report says Hughes came upon a railroad crossing with lights flashing and arms down and hit his head on the crossing arm. The passenger also hit her head on the crossing arms, causing her and Hughes to be thrown from the bike.

The passenger died at the scene, and Hughes was taken to the hospital and later released.

Authorities say the passenger was a 42-year-old woman, but aren’t releasing any other details.

The crash report says neither the passenger nor the driver were wearing helmets.