Minnesota reports 1st motorcycle fatality of 2015
Public safety officials say a 53-year-old man who crashed his motorcycle in Sherburne County over the weekend is Minnesota's first motorcycle fatality of 2015.
The sheriff's office says the man was riding on a county road in Santiago Township around 6:30 p.m. Sunday when he ran off the road and hit a mailbox.
Authorities say he was not wearing a helmet. The preliminary investigation shows speed apparently was a factor.
Last year, Minnesota's first motorcycle fatality of the season happened March 11.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety is reminding motorists to watch carefully for motorcycles, and for riders to wear brightly-colored protective gear, including a DOT-approved helmet.
According to preliminary reports, there were 44 motorcycle fatalities in Minnesota in 2014. That's down from 60 fatalities in 2013.
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