An Elk River motorcyclist, riding after dark with no lights on, died when he hit a pickup truck that was trying to pass another vehicle on a two-lane highway in central Minnesota, authorities said Monday.
The crash occurred about 7:30 p.m. Sunday along Hwy. 6 near Emily in Crow Wing County, according to the State Patrol.
The motorcyclist was identified by the patrol as James W. Buland, who turned 30 years old two days before his death.
Buland was not legally licensed to operate a motorcycle, according to the state Department of Public Safety. The patrol said he was wearing a helmet.
The driver of the pickup, 50-year-old Jane M. Schlagel, of Blaine, and her husband, 49-year-old Bradley T. Schlagel, were not hurt.
The pickup, heading south on Hwy. 6, was passing another vehicle and collided with the oncoming motorcyclist, the patrol said, noting that the motorcycle "was traveling … with no lights" about 40 minutes after sunset.
Paul Walsh
