Motorcyclist rear-ended by Esko teenager

A 57-year-old Esko man was thrown from his motorcycle Thursday evening after he was rear-ended by a teenage motorist on County Highway 61 near Esko, the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office reported.
The motorcyclist, Lee Erkkila, was wearing a helmet; he complained of back pain and was taken to a hospital in Duluth, the sheriff’s report said. The 16-year-old Esko boy driving the other vehicle, a Nissan Altima, was not injured and was cited for failure to drive with care.
Erkkila had signaled to turn left onto Wildwood Drive while both parties were traveling westbound on Highway 61 just before 8 p.m., authorities said. Before he could complete the turn, the other driver struck him from behind.
Drugs or alcohol do not appear to be a contributing factor in the crash, the sheriff’s report said.
The Minnesota State Patrol and the Esko and Cloquet fire departments also responded to the scene.