NORWAY – A Hartford man received minor injuries Sunday when the Kawasaki motorcycle he was riding got away from him.

Jeffrey Russell, 21, of Hartford, was taking off eastbound on Route 118 from the rest stop across from the Pennesseewassee Lake at about 2:30 p.m. when he apparently lost control of the motorcycle, sending it up into a wheelie and throwing him off. Investigating officer Dana Wessling said the motorcycle continued to spin another 500 feet down the road but did not come into contact with another vehicle.

Wessling said it appears that Russell took off from a stop too fast and in a panic may have hit the throttle sending the motorcycle further out of control.

Traffic was stopped both east and westbound for a short period while the scene was cleared.

Russell, who was not cited in the accident, was taken to the hospital.