Saturday morning motorcycle accident near Harpers Ferry claims life of Minnesota man

A late Saturday morning, July 25 motorcycle accident near Harpers Ferry claimed the life of a Minnesota man. At approximately 11:38 a.m. Saturday, the Allamakee County Sheriff’s 911 Dispatch Center received a report of a single-occupant motorcycle crash on County Road X52 (Great River Road) approximately three miles north of Harpers Ferry.

An accident report released by the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office explains that Gary Lee Thomforde, age 69, of Red Wing, MN was traveling southbound on County Road X52 and failed to negotiate a curve in the road. Thomforde was thrown from the motorcycle at the time of the accident.

Thomforde was transported to a La Crosse, WI hospital by ambulance. He died of injuries he sustained in the crash.

Assisting at the scene was the Harpers Ferry Fire and Rescue Service, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa State Patrol. The accident remains under investigation by the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office.