Albany man dies in motorcycle crash near Cold Spring

Stephen Joseph Gretch, 64, died after a motorcycle crash in Wakefield Township on Friday morning, according to the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office. Police said Gretch was driving south on County Road 50 about a mile and a half north of Cold Spring, with two other motorcyclists, at around 11:50 a.m. Sept. 4. As the three vehicles entered a curve near Glenwood Road, Gretch’s motorcycle continued straight into the southbound ditch. Cold Spring Police Department arrived first and found Gretch and his Harley-Davidson Road King in the ditch; life-saving efforts were unsuccessful. Investigators said the motorcycle showed damage consistent with rolling, and a fiber optic cable box and utility pole were struck. Authorities reported he was not wearing a helmet and do not suspect alcohol.