MCHENRY COUNTY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – A fatal motorcycle crash claimed the life of a Karlsruhe man between the overnight hours of July 25 and the morning of July 26 on the 500 Block of 45th St N, about 10 miles east of Velva.

Davis Franklin, 58, was traveling eastbound on his 2001 Honda Shadow when he struck a deer on the roadway. The collision caused Franklin to be ejected from the motorcycle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The accident occurred in clear, dark conditions on an unlit road with good road conditions.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol, McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, and Velva Ambulance responded to the scene. Franklin was not wearing any restraints, and no charges are pending in connection with the crash.

The exact time of the crash is unknown but is believed to have occurred between the evening of July 25 and the early morning of July 26.

The incident remains under investigation by the North Dakota Highway Patrol.