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13th person dies in crash connected to Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

Argus Leader staff
Motorcycles stretch down Main Street in Sturgis, S.D., on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015, for the landmark 75th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. (AP Photo/James Nord)

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally crash death toll has risen to 13 after a Minnesota man died in a crash Saturday afternoon.

Larry Kaduce of St. Peter, Minn., was driving a motorcycle northbound on South Dakota 79 seven miles north of Sturgis when he attempted to pass two pickups pulling campers, the Highway Patrol said. Kaduce collided head-on with a southbound semi truck. He was separated from his motorcycle and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Kaduce was not wearing a helmet, the Highway Patrol said. The semi truck driver was not injured, and no charges will be filed.

Meanwhile, a Hill City man was identified as a victim of a Friday night crash on SD 244 file miles west of Mt. Rushmore. James Peterson, 56, was driving a motorcycle west on SD 244 when he lost control while entering a gradual curve. The motorcycle left the roadway and struck a rock outcropping. Peterson was pronounced dead at the scene. Alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the crash. Peterson was not wearing a helmet, the Highway Patrol said.

Meanwhile, the Highway Patrol announced that 220 DUI arrests have been made as of Sunday morning. There have been 203 misdemeanor drug arrests and 99 felony drug arrests. Fourteen vehicles have been seized and $28,735 in cash has been seized. The HP says 152 injury crashes have been reported.

The 75th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally officially ends Sunday.

Saturday Injury Crashes

At 1:48 a.m., on Alkali Road, Buffalo Chip Entrance, Evan Marshall, 31, Houston, TX was driving a 2015 Dodge Ram pickup that rear-ended two motorcycles. One of the motorcycle drivers, Tyler Hutchison, 33, Lead, SD, received minor injuries. He was not wearing a helmet. Marshall was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured. Marshall was arrested for DUI, possession of a controlled substance and careless driving.

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At 9:50 a.m., on SD 87, mm 43, Mark London, 60, Barbeton, OH, was driving a motorcycle northbound on SD 87 when he lost control going around a curve and went into the ditch. London suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. Speed and alcohol were not factors. He was not wearing a helmet.

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At 11:24 a.m., on US 14A, mm 46, seven miles west of Sturgis, Jodi Maradell, 45, Johnstown, CO, was driving a motorcycle eastbound when she failed to negotiate a curve and ran off the road. She received minor injuries. Maradell was wearing a helmet.

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At 1:13 p.m., on US 14A, mm 48, 10 miles west of Sturgis, Gary Reed was driving a motorcycle east on US 14A. He lost control of the motorcycle going around a curve and struck the guardrail. Reed suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. Speed was not a factor in the crash. Reed was wearing a helmet.

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At 2 p.m., on US 83, mm 24, Ricky Conn, 53, St. James, MN was driving southbound on US 85. Conn was attempting to pass another vehicle when he saw a northbound vehicle. Conn attempted to swerve back into his lane and lost control of the motorcycle. Conn was thrown from the vehicle. He suffered life threatening injuries. Conn was not wearing a helmet.

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At 5:44 p.m., on US 212, mm 2, 12 miles west of Belle Fourche, Leland Wilson, 70, Hamilton, MT, was driving a 2005 Hyundai Elantra eastbound on US 212 when he drifted over the centerline and collided with a westbound 2014 Freightlinger Truck driven by Steve Smith, 51, Springfield, SD. Wilson suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. He was not wearing a seatbelt. Smith received minor injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt. Wilson was charged with driving on the wrong side of the road and not wearing a seatbelt. Alcohol appears not to be a factor in the crash.

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At 5:52 p.m., on I-90, mm 78, James Schmidtknecht, 40, Mondovi, WI and Calvin Douglas, 58, Blue Springs, MO, both were driving pickups west on I-90 pulling campers. High winds tipped over both trailers. Seatbelts were used in both vehicles. There were no injuries. Both westbound lanes were closed for a time.

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At 8:30 p.m., on US 212, mm 202, five miles west of the Missouri River on US 212, Cory Schultz, 38, Eden Valley, MN, was driving a 2011 Chevrolet Surburban westbound pulling a fifth wheel. During a rain storm, high winds blew over the vehicle and fifth wheel. Schultz received minor injuries. All five occupants in the vehicle were wearing seatbelts.