A 66 year old Yancey County man died Saturday after being thrown from a motorcycle on Hwy 197 North. Michael Bennett of Green Mountain was riding a 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle around 11 am when he apparently turned his head to speak with passenger Debora Grindstaff and veered off the right side of the road. Upon impact both Bennett and Grindstaff were thrown on an embankment. Bennett sustained head injuries. He received CPR at the scene by first responders. He was pronounced dead at Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine around 12:30 pm. Grindstaff had minor injuries and was treated and released from the hospital.
