Deadly crashes take rural toll over weekend
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Public safety officials say six people were killed in just over 24 hours in another rash of traffic fatalities across the state.
The string of accidents began Friday afternoon, when a 54-year-old man driving on a two-lane highway in Houston County was hit head-on by a semi-trailer truck that crossed the center line. Later that night in central Minnesota near Gilman, a woman drove her SUV into an oncoming big rig.
On Saturday night, an alleged drunk driver struck and killed a 34-year-old woman near Cloquet, Minn.
Five of the six fatal crashes were on rural roads.
"People think they're safer out on the rural roads, and that tends to be where over 70 percent of our crashes occur," said Donna Berger, traffic safety director at the Department of Public Safety.
The accidents Friday and Saturday follow an even deadlier three-day period in early April, when a dozen people were killed on Minnesota roads.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
Dear reader,
Your voice matters. And we want to hear it.
Will you help shape the future of Minnesota Public Radio by taking our short Listener Survey?
It only takes a few minutes, and your input helps us serve you better—whether it’s news, culture, or the conversations that matter most to Minnesotans.