CLEVELAND - An Alto man was injured Thursday when he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed near Unicoi Gap on Highway 75 north of Helen.
White County Sheriff's Capt. Tim Chapman said the accident was dispatched at 12:39 p.m.
Chapman said 73-year-old Tony Waldon of Alto was traveling south on Highway 75 when he lost control of his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and ran off the road and traveled about 120 feet down an embankment.
White County Fire and Rescue personnel were also dispatched and Public Safety Director David Murphy said they had to utilize their rope rescue team to get the victim out.
Waldon was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.
The southbound lane of Highway 75 was closed for just more than two hours while rescue efforts were underway.
Murphy said the victim is the father-in-law of Georgia Emergency Management Agency Director Jim Butterworth and Butterworth has already reached out to the local emergency personnel in White County to commend them on how well the team handled the situation.
