A motorcyclist died following a collision with an SUV in northeast Niobrara County on Friday, August 1, the Wyoming Highway Patrol announced.
The crash occurred at approximately 5:21 p.m. at milepost 195 on U.S. 85 near Mule Creek Junction, located about 46 miles north of Lusk. According to authorities, 73-year-old Joseph Pandolfi of Florida was riding south when he turned left into the Mule Creek Junction Rest Area, colliding with a northbound Toyota 4Runner.
Pandolfi, who was not wearing a helmet, succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The driver of the SUV and a passenger sustained injuries, though the extent has not been disclosed.
Witnesses reported that driver inattention may have contributed to the crash, which is under investigation. This incident marks the ninth reported motorcyclist fatality on Wyoming highways in 2023.