Martin “Wes” Westerlind was involved in an accident with an automobile on Friday, July 8 and was thrown from his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, skidding on the blacktop of County Road 7 for about 20 – 50 feet. He suffered sprains and scrapes. Westerlind credits his limited injuries to the fact that it was a fairly lowspeed accident and to the fact that he was wearing a motorcycle helmet and a heavy riding jacket. Showing scrapes on to his helmet, Westerlind said, “Imagine what would have happened if I hadn’t been wearing a helmet.”
Two motorcycle accidents in Cook County in just two days fortunately resulted in only minor injuries, but will hopefully serve as a caution to drivers and cyclists alike.
The first accident occurred at approximately 12:39 p.m. on Thursday, July 7. Cook County Law Enforcement received a call requesting an ambulance for a male with a possible knee injury following a motorcycle versus vehicle accident near Temperance River in Tofte. State Patrol Officer Leah Carpenter said that fortunately, there were very, very light injuries.
Carpenter said Eugene Alex Michaels, 32, of Savage, MN was traveling through the Temperance River wayside rest area on a 2009 BMW motorcycle and he made an abrupt stop at a pedestrian crossing. Carpenter said witnesses were unsure if someone was crossing at the time, but there were a number of cars parked and people milling about.
Carol Sedlock, 51, of Cambridge, MN, was traveling behind him in a 2000 GMC Envoy. She attempted to swerve to miss the motorcycle and struck the left side of the bike, damaging the BMW’s saddlebags and scratching the paint.
Carpenter was in Grand Portage at the time of the call, so Cook County Sheriff Deputy assistance was requested. Also responding were Tofte Fire Department and First Responders and Cook County Ambulance.
Trooper Carpenter said when she arrived, Michaels had ice on his left knee, but he was able to stand and walk around. He refused transport by ambulance and he drove off on his motorcycle. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
No charges have been filed, however Carpenter said the cause of the accident is still being investigated. The second accident was at approximately 3:36 p.m. on Friday, July 8. Martin “Wes” Westerlind, 51, was driving a 2010 Harley Davidson Fat Bob motorcycle eastbound on County Road 7, near Fall River, in Grand Marais. Westerlind’s motorcycle was struck by Jennifer Ashcroft, 33, Grand Marais, as she pulled out of a driveway on the lower side of County Road 7.
Witnesses said Ashcroft was ready to enter County Road 7 in her 2001 Volvo V70-XC station wagon when a pickup drove down County Road 6 to County Road 7 and pulled up alongside Ashcroft on the driveway. The other driver and Ashcroft spoke for a moment and then Ashcroft pulled onto the roadway, apparently to check for traffic just as Westerlind was passing.
Westerlind was struck and thrown from the motorcycle, skidding approximately 20-50 feet— into the path of an onward coming Cook County Highway Department dump truck loaded with gravel, driven by Clark Bloomquist of Grand Marais. Westerlind was not hit by the truck, but it is believed the motorcycle was hit. The motorcycle is believed to be totaled.
Cook County Sheriff Deputies, Grand Marais First Responders, and Cook County Ambulance responded and Westerlind was taken by ambulance to North Shore Hospital, where he was treated and released. He suffered ankle sprains and scrapes and bruises to his legs and shoulders.
Bloomquist, who was driving the county dump truck, made this Facebook entry: “On Saturday, I was involved in the scariest thing I have seen driving a truck. A car pulled out in front of a motorcycle, causing it to slide over into me, hitting my tire. Everyone okay? Yes, but if he were a cat, he would have used up eight lives.”
Westerlind credits his limited injuries to the fact that it was a fairly low-speed accident and to the fact that he was wearing a motorcycle helmet and a heavy riding jacket. He has photos to show the condition of the helmet and the jacket and said a few days after the accident, “Imagine what would have happened if I hadn’t been wearing a helmet.”
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