Pair of motorcycle crashes result in injuries for Minn., Iowa men

Two separate motorcycle crashes that occurred in southern Buffalo County on Saturday afternoon, April 18, resulted in injuries for two men, requiring transport via air ambulance.
According to the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Department, the first crash took place just after 1 p.m. and involved two motorcycles traveling in a group of four on State Highway 35 near the 5A dam entrance.
Upon further investigation, deputies learned that the group was southbound on Hwy. 35 when the lead bike, a 2014 orange Harley Davidson operated by Kenny J. Blake, 33, of Red Wing, Minn., began to make a right-hand turn. The second bike, a 2004 black Harley Davidson driven by Bob J. Blake, 41, of Decorah, Iowa, failed to notice the lead bike’s turn. He took evasive action, but his motorcycle clipped the saddlebags of Kenny Blake’s bike, causing him to lose control and lay the bike down. Bob Blake was then thrown from the motorcycle; he received transport for a possible severe head injury and other injuries via Med Link to an area hospital.
Bob Blake was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, authorities said.
The operator of the lead bike, Kenny Blake, was not injured in the crash.
The second motorcycle accident took place just 90 minutes later on State Highway 95 near Joos Valley Road in the town of Glencoe.
Upon investigation, deputies learned that a group of eight motorcycles were eastbound on Hwy. 95 when the fifth bike in the group, operated by 66-year-old Gary Anderson of Isanti, Minn., failed to negotiate a curve. Anderson’s bike, a 2010 Kawasaki Voyager, then ran off the road into a field where he lost control and laid the motorcycle down.
Anderson was thrown from the motorcycle. He was wearing a helmet, but was flown via Med Link Air to a La Crosse hospital for internal injuries.
Also assisting at the crash scenes were the Fountain City Police, Fire Department and First Responders, Winona Area Ambulance Service, Arcadia Ambulance and Fire Department, Snapper’s Towing Service, and Suchla’s wrecker service.
Both crashes remain under investigation by the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Department.