By Kelli Baxter 

The biker who was injured in an accident Thursday, Nov. 5 near the North Branch Middle School says he has some cuts and bruises but he's "coming back."

The incident was originally called in as a hit-and-run, but police now say it was a large metal object on the side of the road that caused the accident.

A passing driver on County Road 14 saw 67-year-old Bruce Carter of North Branch lying on the roadside about 6 p.m., tangled in his bike, and called police to report a hit-and run. Carter was taken by ambulance to Regions Hospital in St. Paul. 

Carter said he hit a piece of debris on the roadside, what he thinks was a tail pipe and a piece of a muffler, and then took a tumble.

"It was dark out and I never usually ride my bike in the dark," Carter said Monday. "It was not the smartest thing to do."

He said he was unconscious when the passing motorist found him, but the driver stayed with him until an ambulance arrived. Carter said he remembers about the last 10 minutes of the ride to the hospital. He received some stitches below his eye and on the inside of his lip and was kept overnight for observation. 

Carter is recovering at home and says he's grateful someone was nice enough to stop and help.

"People still do that in small towns," he said.  

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