Man riding mini motorcycle killed in collision with big rig in Long Beach

A man riding a mini motorcycle was killed during a collision with a big rig in Long Beach on Wednesday. 

Police say that the crash happened at around 4:45 p.m. near the intersection of W. Anaheim Street and Hayes Avenue, according to a statement from the Long Beach Police Department. 

"Upon arrival, officers located a tractor-trailer and a mini motorcycle stopped in the northbound lane of Hayes Avenue, north of West Anaheim Street," said the LBPD statement. "The driver of the mini motorcycle was located lying in the roadway."

The victim, since identified by investigators as 50-year-old Long Beach man Nicholas Kusmich, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Detectives say that Kusmich was riding the mini motorcycle westbound along the north curb of Anaheim Street when he collided with the passenger side of a 2020 Kenworth tractor-trailer carrying a shipping container that was traveling eastbound on Anaheim Street before turning left onto Hayes Avenue. 

"At this time, distracted driving is being investigated as a potential factor in the collision," police said. "Speed and driving under the influence are not believed to be factors, however.

Investigators say that the driver of the truck remained on scene and cooperated with their investigation. 

Anyone who may know more was asked to contact detectives at (562) 570-7355.