Motorcyclist Seriously Injured After Crash on Highway 9 Near Carrington

On the evening of July 17, just after 7 p.m., a 31‑year‑old man was riding a 1994 Harley‑Davidson eastbound on Highway 9, roughly a mile and a half west of Kensal. The night was clear, the pavement dry, and, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol, two other motorcycles were keeping pace alongside him.

Something went wrong, though. The Harley inexplicably left the roadway, plunged into a shallow ditch on the south side, and struck an approach. The impact was enough to hurl the rider far from his bike, leaving him on the ground in a perilous state.

First‑responders from the Foster County Sheriff’s Department and Carrington Ambulance Service arrived quickly. Paramedics assessed the man’s condition as life‑threatening and rushed him by ambulance to the hospital in Carrington. Within minutes, a medical‑air helicopter lifted him to Sanford Medical Center in Fargo for advanced care.

Investigators later learned the rider was not wearing a helmet and, surprisingly, did not hold a motorcycle endorsement on his driver’s license. Police noted that road and weather conditions were not a factor, so the cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol continues to examine the scene, and they have asked anyone with information to come forward. Meanwhile, the community is left to grapple with the stark reminder of how quickly a routine ride can turn tragic.