‘Deeply loved’ motorcyclist identified as victim of deadly Kennewick crash

A 23-year-old Kennewick man was identified as the motorcyclist who died in a crash Friday night on Hildebrand Boulevard.

Joeseph “Joe” McNeil had been riding up and down the boulevard with another motorcyclist when he crashed about 8:40 p.m., Chief Deputy Coroner Dennis Morris told the Tri-City Herald.

McNeil’s friend told investigators that they were talking through their helmet microphones as they rode. The friend was in front when he heard McNeil curse and looked back and saw McNeil had gone off the road, Morris said.

The crash happened at the corner of South Penn Street just east of where Hildebrand Boulevard turns into the Bob Olson Parkway. Police markings on Monday indicated his motorcycle had hit a curb near a fire hydrant.

McNeil, who attended Kennewick High School, had started riding about four months ago.

He died before he could be taken to Trios Southridge Hospital just a few blocks away, said Kennewick police.

The cause of the accident has not been released.

His death was the second fatal crash in the Tri-Cities on Friday night. A Richland grandmother was killed in a collision on the Highway 240 bypass with a semi truck hauling an Amazon trailer about 10 minutes before the Kennewick crash.

Deeply loved

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up by Alivia Rocha to help McNeil’s family cover funeral expenses.

“Joe was deeply loved by his family, friends and everyone who had the chance to know him,” she wrote. “His loss has left an unimaginable emptiness and changed life forever for those closest to him.”

Rocha said McNeil’s mother and the rest of his family are facing the burden of unexpected expenses along with grief.

“Joe’s mom and family are doing their best to pick up the pieces while honoring his memory,” she wrote. “Any donation, no matter the amount and every share means more than words can express.”