A motorcyclist riding with two other riders left the roadway at a curve in Stearns County on Friday and died at the scene. The crash was reported at about 11:52 a.m. near the intersection of County Road 50 and Glenwood Road in Wakefield Township, roughly one and a half miles north of Cold Spring.
Stephen Joseph Gretsch, 64, of Albany, was identified as the man who died. Responding officers located a 2008 Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycle in the southbound ditch, along with Gretsch, who was not wearing a helmet. Life-saving measures were started at the scene, but he was pronounced deceased.
According to information gathered at the scene, Gretsch was traveling southbound on County Road 50 with two other motorcyclists. As the group entered the curve near Glenwood Road, Gretsch’s motorcycle continued straight and left the roadway, entering the southbound ditch.
The motorcycle sustained extensive damage consistent with having rolled during the crash. A fiber-optic cable box and a utility pole were also struck and damaged.
The Cold Spring Police Department was the first agency to arrive at the scene. The crash remains under investigation by the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office and alcohol is not believed to be a contributing factor.
Assisting agencies included the Cold Spring Police Department, Cold Spring Fire and Rescue and Mayo Ambulance Service.
