Motorcycle accidents, body in the river keep Mandan, Minot law enforcement busy over the weekend

It was a busy weekend for authorities in the Minot and Mandan areas.

First, during the evening of April 9th, a 53-year-old Bismarck man died after apparently crashing his motorcycle into the passenger side of a vehicle crossing Memorial Highway at Third Street in Mandan.

Police said the man was transported to St. Alexius Hospital in Bismarck where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the car was not injured in the crash.

Then, around 6:20 p.m. on April 10th, a 41-year-old Minot man was driving west on East Burdick Expressway in Minot when, according to police, he apparently lost control of his motorcycle, struck the guardrail and was ejected on the north side of the roadway.

He was initially transported to Trinity Hospital and then transferred to another medical facility out of state. His condition is unknown at this time.

Meanwhile, the Morton County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the circumstances involving a body that was found in the early morning of April 11th in the Missouri River near the Broken Oar in Mandan.

It’s unclear how the man ended up in the river, but sheriff’s officials believe it happened sometime between 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. Sunday, based on an account from the property owner.

Authorities don’t believe foul play was involved after searching the scene, but the case remains under investigation.