Motorcyclist dies after rear-ending car in southwest Las Vegas

The Clark County coroner’s office has identified a man killed when his motorcycle accelerated into the rear end of a vehicle he was following early Friday in the southwest valley, Las Vegas police said.

Joseph Edwards, 20, was driving his 2016 Yamaha R6 when the crash happened just before 1 a.m., the coroner’s office said Friday afternoon.

Metropolitan Police Department investigators believe Edwards was driving his motorcycle westbound on West Cactus Avenue east of Verona Wood Street, near South Rainbow Boulevard, behind a 2017 Acura TLK when he accelerated and struck the rear end of the Acura.

The motorcycle overturned and Edwards was ejected.

He died shortly after he was taken to University Medical Center, police said.

A 19-year-old woman driving the Acura remained at the scene and did not show signs of impairment.

The death was the 55th traffic-related fatality Metro has investigated this year, police said.

Roads that were closed for an investigation were opened about 7 a.m., Metro said.

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com. Review-Journal staff writer Katelyn Newberg contributed to this report.