Manassas Motorcyclist Dies After 4th Of July Crash: Police

MANASSAS, VA — A motorcyclist from Manassas died on the Fourth of July after a crash on I-66 westbound in Fairfax County. Authorities identified the victim as Eddie Short, a 55-year-old Manassas resident.

Short's motorcycle, a 1999 Harley Davidson Sportster, ran off the road just after 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. The crash is still being investigated by Virginia State Police.

After the motorcycle left the highway, police said it struck a crash attenuator. Crash attenuators are devices installed along the side of highways intending to limit the damage of a crash. They try to accomplish this by transfer momentum, crumpling, or converting a crash's kinetic energy into heat.

Short was taken to Fairfax Inova Hospital after the crash. He died at the hospital on Sunday, authorities said.

Investigators said Short was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

Authorities are still investigating the crash, and have not determined a possible cause.

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