By Patrick Tepoorten

A rising sun may have played a role in a two-vehicle accident Tuesday morning that cost a Chisago City man his life.

At approximately 7:40 a.m., according to a press release from the Chisago County Sheriffís Office, Thomas Marshall Pearson, 46, of Chisago City, was traveling westbound on County Road 19 on a motorcycle when he struck a 1994 Mercury Villager van traveling eastbound on the same road. The van was attempting a left-hand turn onto Ivywood Trail at the time of the accident.

It appeared from the scene that Pearson attempted to stop before striking the van but was unable to do so.

Pearson died while en route to North Memorial Hospital in the Twin Cities via Life Link helicopter.

The accident remains under investigation by the Sheriffís Office and the Minnesota State Patrol Reconstructionist. It is believed that the rising sun caused visibility problems and was at least partially responsible for the accident.

The 78-year-old driver of the van was not identified.

Pearson is believed to be the fourth motorcycle fatality in Chisago County this year. Safety Project Coordinator for the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center, William Shaffer, indicated last week that the number of local fatalities is ìdefinitely high for recent years.î

Statewide, 38 riders have died in traffic accidents as of Aug. 31. According to Department of Public Safety, that figure is significantly higher than last year, which had 24 fatalities by the same date.

By the end of last year there were 61 motorcycle fatalities, which was an increase of 25 percent compared to the average from 2000 to 2004. Injuries that year totaled 1,201.

The overwhelming amount of fatalities occur in rural areas. In 2005, 30 of 61 happened in places with populations of less than 1,000. July, August, and September were the busiest months for fatal crashes, with 29, and the hours between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. were the riskiest, with almost 400 crashes taking place at that time.

The increase in fatalities comes at a time when motorcycle ownership is at an all-time high. Currently there are over 185,000 registered motorcycles in the state.

Nationwide, the sale of motorcycles was up 11 percent in the first half of this year, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, which attributes that increase largely to rising gas prices.