PAWNEE CITY – The Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office reports a traffic fatality in rural Pawnee County.

Sheriff Braden Lang says 85-year-old Charles “Chuck” Thomas of Liberty was operating a Kawasaki Mule eastbound on Highway 8 at around 2:25 p.m. Tuesday.

The sheriff says Thomas attempted to make a turn at the intersection of the highway with 609 Avenue and collided with the side of an eastbound semi-trailer truck.

Thomas died at the scene. The truck driver was not hurt.

Sheriff Lang says Pawnee County Ambulance and EMT’s responded to the accident, which was investigated by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Nebraska State Patrol.

The accident happened about three miles east of the Gage-Pawnee County line.