TWO MEN HURT IN SEPARATE MOTORCYCLE VS DEER CRASHES FRIDAY NIGHT

Two men were hurt, one critically, in two motorcycle vs deer collisions Friday night.  The state patrol was called at 9:39 pm to Highway 68 in Judson Township in Blue Earth County.  A Harley Davidson was driven by 67-year-old Alfred Alex of Minneapolis was eastbound on Highway 68 and struck a deer.  Alex was taken to Mankato Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  He was wearing a helmet.  The second crash was called in at 10:38 pm on Highway 169 in Winnebago Township, Faribault County.  Authorities say a Harley Davidson driven by 39-year-old Chase Sheppard James of North Mankato was southbound on Highway 169 and struck a deer.  Sheppard was not wearing a helmet and was taken to Blue Earth Hospital with life-threatening injuries.  Winnebago Police and Fire Department and the Faribault County Sheriffs’ Office all assisted at the scene.