Female motorcycle passenger dies in late-night crash on Johnson Drive in Shawnee

A 35-year-old female motorcycle passenger died in a late-night motorcycle crash in Shawnee Monday.

An off-duty Shawnee police officer discovered the single-vehicle wreck as he was driving by about 11 p.m. on Johnson Drive near Barker Road. The road in that area, which is near the Mid-America Sports Complex, is heavily traveled.

The officer found the unconscious woman on the ground and started life-saving efforts. When the Shawnee Fire Department and Johnson County Med-Act arrived, they pronounced the woman dead.

The name of the woman was being withheld so that family could be notified.

The 41-year-old male driver of the motorcycle was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries. The extent of his injuries were not available.

The cause of the crash remained under investigation by the Shawnee Police Department's Traffic Safety Unit. Police are investigating whether alcohol contributed to the crash.