A 66-year-old Minneapolis man died at the scene of a motorcycle crash in rural Benton County on Sunday afternoon, despite emergency medical care from first responders. The Benton County Sheriff's Office identified the victim as Mark Skanes Cady, who was riding a 2022 BMW motorcycle when the collision occurred in Minden Township.
According to a report from FOX 9, the Benton County Sheriff's Office received word of the crash around 2:40 p.m. Sunday, October 4, 2026, at the intersection of 35th Avenue Southeast and 2nd Street Southeast. Cady was reportedly driving the motorcycle south on 35th Avenue Southeast when it collided with a 2016 Honda Odyssey driven by 46-year-old Ahmed Mohamud Haji Isse of St. Cloud, who was heading west on 2nd Street Southeast. Per scene evidence, the front of the Honda struck the side of the BMW at the intersection.
Witness statements indicated the motorcycle did not stop at a stop sign and pulled in front of the Honda just before impact, and authorities said they believe the motorcycle driver failed to stop at the sign before the crash. Isse was not seriously hurt, nor were five passengers riding in his vehicle, the sheriff's office reported.
Life-Saving Measures Could Not Save Cady
As KNSI Radio reported, life-saving measures were taken, but Cady succumbed to his injuries.
It is not the first time this year a Benton County motorcyclist has died after colliding with a minivan. As Bring Me The News reported, 27-year-old Sauk Rapids motorcyclist Meghan Lee Moran was killed on May 16 at Mayhew Lake Road NE and 10th Street NE in a similar crash. No charges were filed in that earlier incident after investigators determined a driver had misjudged right-of-way.
A Brutal Year for Minnesota Riders
Cady's death adds to a grim statewide tally. Minnesota had recorded 63 motorcycle fatalities in 2026 through early October, according to Northern News Now. State officials have also warned that fall hazards like frost and fallen leaves further elevate risk for riders as the season winds down.
Back in July, state traffic safety officials told KNOX News Radio that motorcycle deaths were tracking toward nearly 90 fatalities by year's end — levels not seen since the late 1980s and early 1990s. Officials attributed the surge to an earlier riding season, increased speed, and driver impairment.
The state's Strategic Highway Safety Plan sets a target of fewer than 225 annual traffic deaths by 2030.
What Minnesota Law Requires of Riders
Under Minnesota Statutes § 169.974, helmet use is mandated only for riders under 18 and those operating with an instruction permit, though eye protection is required for all riders regardless of age. State officials continue to strongly encourage helmets for every rider even though adult licensed motorcyclists remain legally exempt.
Operating a motorcycle in Minnesota also requires a driver's license with a valid two-wheeled vehicle endorsement, obtained through a written knowledge exam and either a skills test or an approved safety course. Minnesota also updated its traffic laws in July 2025 to permit lane filtering in stopped traffic and limited lane splitting, changes aimed at reducing rear-end collisions involving motorcycles in heavy traffic.
The fatal Highway 25 rollover in August 2026 was a pickup-truck crash, not a motorcycle crash. Whether Minnesota State Patrol's formal crash reconstruction will reveal additional details about speeds or mechanical conditions in Cady's crash, and whether any citations will be issued, remains unknown as the investigation continues.
