On Monday, March 19, the body of Minnesota resident Scott Garavalia was found next to his motorcycle in a field near New Richmond, Wisconsin. A 6:55 a.m. call alerted the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department to the one-vehicle crash.
The accident happened about a quarter-mile north of County Highway G. According to the St. Croix County Sheriff’s department, Garavalia’s motorcycle left County Highway A on a curve and went into a ditch on the eastern side of the road. When the bike overturned, the rider was thrown from his vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene by a St. Croix County medical examiner.
Scott J. Garavalia, 39, was a resident of Lake Elmo, Minnesota. He was riding a 2010 Kawasaki motorcycle. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
New Richmond Fire and Rescue and New Richmond Area Ambulance Service also assisted at the accident scene.
It’s not clear whether the accident happened Sunday night or Monday morning. Authorities are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or may have seen Garavalia on Sunday to come forward. Information should be directed to Investigator Brent Standaert at (715) 381-4390.
This is the county’s third traffic fatality of 2012.
The recent wave of motorcycle accidents in Wisconsin has prompted law enforcement officials to be more active in warning residents of traffic dangers. Captain Jeff Klatt of the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department credits the unusually warm weather for encouraging riders to take to the road so early this spring. “Everybody has to be more vigilant at this point, until they get used to seeing those cycles on the road,” he told reporters.
The staff and attorneys at Hupy and Abraham offices across Wisconsin echo that sentiment. We also want to express our sorrow to the family and friends of Scott Garavalia for their loss.