Memorial Day weekend is typically one of the busiest travel weekends every year. The roads will be packed with cars heading to the lake, pool, malls and family gatherings, and many will be in a hurry to reach their destinations.
Always remember to keep your eyes on the road, follow the speed limit and respect your fellow drivers to make sure you reach your destination safely.
Drive Safely This Memorial Day Weekend!
We have previously discussed the importance of watching out for deer crossing the road while driving, but in states like Minnesota and Colorado deer aren’t the only animals drivers need to be wary of. Chris Jordan and his battered Volkswagen Jetta will tell you as much. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Jordan hit a full grown black bear Monday night while driving back to his Lino Lakes home from a Minnesota Twins game. Jordan and his two passengers walked away unscathed, but the Jetta wasn’t as fortunate.
The black bear was not as fortunate as Chris Jordan and his two passengers. Compliments of the Star Tribune
“I’ve hit deer before with my car, but a bear? My car didn’t fare too well,” Jordan said.
The bear didn’t fare too well either. Jordan was driving around 60 miles per hour just after 10:30 PM when the bear appeared out of nowhere running across the pitch black road. Having no time to swerve, Jordan used his front left bumper to dispatch the 200-pound bear to its final resting place in a nearby ditch. The Jetta was totaled, but Jordan was able to find a nearby police officer to report the incident. The officer later found the lifeless bear in the ditch just off the road.
“[Jordan] flagged me down and [the car] was smoking. He said he hit a bear, and I said, ‘You aren’t kidding you hit a bear,’ ” Sgt. Mike Rumposa said. “No one in the vehicle was hurt, and the bear didn’t suffer….That’s a good thing all around, I guess.”
Chris Jordan’s totaled Jetta. Compliments of the Star Tribune
Jordan said there had been whispers of black bears spotted in the area recently, and now he knows firsthand to keep an eye out for more than just deer while on the road.
RIP Falling Bear
Oddly enough, Jordan isn’t the only driver to make recent headlines for hitting a bear. The famous “falling bear” from the University of Colorado-Boulder was struck and killed by two motorists outside of the college town last week. Days before the accident, the bear had been tranquilized after climbing a campus tree and his drowsy descent became an instant web sensation.
Colorado officials relocated the bear to the mountains after the fall, but it ventured back into town days later in search of food. Both vehicles that struck the bear were totaled and one motorist was treated for minor injuries.
All three motorists were fortunate to avoid serious injuries in their collisions with black bears. Many drivers that collide with large animals aren’t as lucky. It’s important to remember that these accidents can often be avoided by keeping both eyes on the road at all times and proceeding with caution through dark, wooded stretches of road where animals are known to cross. If an accident is unavoidable, it’s better to hit the animal than swerve out of the way, as swerving can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles and put other drivers at risk.
If you or a loved one has been severely injured from a catastrophic automobile accident, please contact our office immediately for a free consultation. You can also learn more about GoldenbergLaw, PLLC by visiting our website or our auto safety resource center.
For more information on the two recent bear-car collisions, please visit the following links.
Star Tribune article on Chris Jordan’s accident
Reuters article on the demise of “Falling Bear”
Catastrophic Injury Resource Center Blog on Deer-Car Accidents
A 20-year old employee at a New Hampshire brewery is dead after a keg exploded in his face Tuesday morning. According to ABC New Hampshire, Ben Harris was pressurizing a keg at the Redhook Brewery in Portsmouth for sanitation purposes when the aluminum barrel exploded into two pieces, striking him in his chest and head. By the time emergency personnel arrived at the brewery Harris had a weak pulse and went into cardiac arrest shortly after. He was pronounced dead at the Portsmouth Regional Hospital around 1 PM Tuesday afternoon. Redhook President Andy Thomas released a short statement on the accident but deferred to investigators for any further comment.
Redhook Brewery in Portsmouth, NH
“We are doing everything in our power to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragic accident, and have closed down all non-essential operations at the Portsmouth brewery, including the pub, while the investigation continues.We believe it would not be appropriate to comment further until the investigation is concluded.” Thomas said in the statement. ”Our sympathy is with his family and everyone touched by the tragedy.”
The incident is being investigated by the Portsmouth Police and Fire Departments along with officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald outlined the agency’s participation in an e-mail to the Portsmouth Patch Tuesday.
“The purpose of OSHA’s inspection is to determine which workplace safety standards apply in this situation and whether or not the employer complied with those standards,” Fitzgerald said. “If the inspection determines there were violations, OSHA could issue citations to and propose fines for the employer.”
Brewers use pressurized hoses as part of the cleaning process to clear remaining beer from the bottom of used kegs. Assistant Chief Steven Achilles of the Portsmouth Fire Department said it appears the keg structure “failed”while Harris was pressurizing it. Achilles went on to state that the brewery has an excellent record of workplace safety.
“They’re great citizens,” Achilles said. “They have a very progressive and responsive safety system. We’ve always worked very well with them, and it’s an unfortunate accident this morning.”
A look inside the Redhook Brewery. Compliments of Trip-Advisor.com
Kirsten Neves of the nearby Tuckerman Brewery told Foster’s Daily Democrat that using high-pressure air or carbon dioxide to clean kegs is a standard practice among most professional brewers. She said the keg cleaning systems usually have pressure regulators to prevent explosions, leading her to believe a keg defect likely caused the accident.
“It’s really a very tragic situation,” Neves said. “It’s very, very uncommon to hear about a keg exploding like that. I’ve never heard of it happening.”
The Redhook brewery remains closed to the public indefinitely while investigators work to determine the cause of the explosion.
If you or a loved one has been severely injured from a catastrophic workplace accident, please contact our office immediately for a free consultation. You can also learn more about GoldenbergLaw, PLLC by visiting our website.
For more information on the tragedy at Redhook Brewery, please visit the following sites.
ABC New Hampshire Story on Redhook Explosion
Portsmouth Patch Story on Ben Harris
Portsmouth Patch Story on Redhook Explosion
Tax Day may be two days late this year, but that doesn’t mean the roads will be any safer than in years past. A study published today in The Journal of the American Medical Association reveals fatal car accidents increase by six percent on Tax Day. According to the Chicago Tribune, the study found 6,783 traffic-related deaths have occurred on Tax Day since 1980, an average of 226 per year. The study’s lead author, Dr. Donald Redelmeier, then compared those numbers with auto fatalities one day a week before Tax Day and one day a week after. The results showed the average number of automobile deaths decreased to an average of 213 per year.
“One explanation is that stressful deadlines lead to driver distraction and worsen short-term human error,” Dr. Redelmeier told CNN.
Avoid being another number. Drive safely on Tax Day
Redelmeier suggests that lack of sleep, increased alcohol consumption, lack of patience for other drivers and an overall increase in stress from filing taxes contribute to the higher incident of fatal accidents. The study also found that the rise of e-filing had little to no effect on the number of fatalities, mainly because those who file online or file early are not the drivers causing accidents.
“Even if you file early, it does not mean that you are immune to the phenomenon, because of the shared nature of most roadway crashes,” said Dr. Redelmeier. “You are surrounded by other drivers, any one of whom could change your life forever.”
Tax Day this year is next Tuesday, April 17. Whether you’ve filed your taxes already or will be dropping your paperwork in the mail next Tuesday, always remember to slow down, keep your eyes on the road and look out for your fellow drivers. It’s not the end of the world if you’re five minutes late to the post office, but it can be the end of a life if you don’t drive safely to get there.
If you or a loved one has been severely injured from a catastrophic automobile accident, please contact our office immediately for a free consultation. You can also learn more about GoldenbergLaw, PLLC by visiting our website or our auto safety resource center.
For more information on the American Medical Association study, visit the following links:
Chicago Tribune Article on Tax Day Fatalities
Five members of a Minnesota racing family are dead after their vehicle ran through a guardrail on Interstate 35 and plunged 30 feet into a Kansas ravine Sunday morning. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the dead have been identified as Tom Kerber, 25, and his wife, Melissa Kerber, 24, both of New Prague, Minnesota, and Jessica Kerber, 10, James Kerber, 12, and Joy Kerber, 14, of Jordan. The family was returning to Minnesota in a semitrailer converted to a recreational vehicle after spending a week in Texas racing motorcycles.
Officials work to clear the debris-filled ravine off Interstate 35 in Kansas. Photo compliments of the Star Tribune
The Kansas State Patrol is investigating the cause of the accident and charges are not expected to be filed against the truck’s driver, 17-year old Adam Kerber. The 57,000-pound vehicle was carrying 18 people, mostly members of the Kerber family and a few friends. Four of the thirteen survivors remained in critical condition through Monday, including Adam Kerber. Mary Mohn, a nurse practitioner also from Minnesota, was returning home from a conference with a friend and was one of the first on the scene to assist the victims.
“I couldn’t believe what I saw,” Mohn said. “It looked like the RV exploded. The walls were on both sides of the creek. A couch was sitting in the creek. Toilets were on the embankment. Clothes and food and shoes were scattered all over. I could hear a woman screaming … and kids whimpering, crying.”
The National Transportation Safety Board has joined the investigation and is probing whether Adam Kerber was legally certified to drive such a large vehicle. The truck has been described as a freightliner with built in living space that was towing an additional trailer of racing equipment. Most states, including Minnesota, require a commercial license to operate a vehicle that weighs over 26,000 pounds and carries more than 15 people. But due to it’s modifications the Kerber’s truck was classified as a recreational vehicle, and Minnesota law allows citizens with standard class D licenses to operate RVs for personal use.
Remains of the Kerber Family RV. Photo compliments of the Star Tribune
Given the evidence presented thus far, it certainly appears that Adam Kerber was legally operating the vehicle under Minnesota law. The question authorities should be asking is why the state of Minnesota allows anyone without a commerical drivers license to operate a vehicle over 26,000 pounds at all. If professional truck drivers are required to go through intensive training to earn a commercial drivers license, shouldn’t civilians who drive the same vehicles be required to submit to that training as well?
The accident occurred around 9 AM Sunday Morning. Photo compliments of the Star Tribune
Similar to professional truck drivers, RV owners like the Kerbers often drive their vehicles long distances across the country for vacations and other road trips. The difference is that professionals are subject to licensing, training and regulations on when and how long they can drive (that are in place to protect other drivers!), while the RV owner is viewed under Minnesota law the same as any other non-truck driver on the road. If someone decides to make the monetary investment of purchasing an RV that weighs over 26,000 pounds, they should be required to make the safety investment of undergoing the training required to earn a commercial drivers license.
While he offered no comment on the Kerber accident, the president of the Minnesota Trucking Association conceded that not just anyone is capable of operating a large commercial vehicle.
“We call them professional truck drivers because they have had experience and training that prepare them to handle the physics of driving a larger vehicle,” John Hausladen told The Associated Press. “They receive training with regard to stopping distances, following distances, blind spots and other aspects of maneuvering with a large vehicle.”
Meanwhile, Minnesota House Public Safety Committee Chairman Tony Cornish says he does not expect any changes to the current law on RV driver eligibility. At the very least, a seemingly preventable tragedy of this magnitude should urge healthy debate about the safety of allowing untrained drivers to operate commercial vehicles.
The Kerber Family Fund has been set up to assist the family and all victims at Hometown Bank in Jordan.
Donations can be sent to:
Hometown Bank
Kerber Family Fund
101 South Creek Lane
Jordan, Minnesota 55352
(952) 492 – 5599 Phone
If you or a loved one has been severely injured from a catastrophic automobile accident, please contact our office immediately for a free consultation. You can also learn more about GoldenbergLaw, PLLC by visiting our website or our auto safety resource center.
For more information on Sunday’s tragedy, please visit the following sites.
Star Tribune Story on Accident
Star Tribune Follow Up On NTSB Investigation
We all know the dangers of texting and driving. It puts everyone on the road at risk, including yourself, and causes approximately 6,000 deaths and half a million injuries a year. But injuries stemming from the distraction of text messaging are not confined to roadways. Silly as it sounds, texting while walking can be dangerous too.
Just ask Bonnie Miller. Last week, the Benton Harbor, Michigan resident fell into a frigid river while walking on a pier trying to send a text message. According to ABC57 News, Miller was taking an evening stroll over the St. Joseph river with her husband and son when she began to type out a text message. The group had passed the point of the pier where the railings end and after typing out the first three words of the message, Miller found herself submerged in six feet of cold water fighting to stay afloat.
Think Twice About Texting and Walking
Her husband Greg jumped in after her along with a 19-year old bystander. Firefighters, police and Coast Guard personnel arrived minutes later and used a flotation device to guide the three to a nearby ladder to climb to safety. Fortunately, all three escaped unharmed. And while she was plenty embarrassed, Miller decided to make her folly public to create awareness that texting and walking can have serious consequences.
“I couldn’t let pride stand in my way of warning other people to not drive and text or walk and text,” Miller said. “It can be dangerous.”
Walking and texting is a bigger distraction than most people think
Miller is not alone in experiencing public humiliation from texting and walking. Cathy Cruz Marrero became a YouTube sensation in 2011 after a mall’s security camera caught her tripping and falling into a fountain while face deep in a text message. Earlier this year, a Canadian news station caught a woman falling down a section of stairs while distracted by text messaging in the background of a live broadcast. While many have shared a laugh at their expense, both falls are quite vicious and the two women are lucky to walk away unscathed from the accidents.
Given the proliferation of text messaging and smart phones with social media capability, injuries caused by texting and walking or Facebooking/Tweeting and walking will likely continue to increase. These accidents can be prevented by following this easy, five step routine:
1. Stop walking
2. Find a spot that is out of the way of other walkers
3. Send the text message
4. Put your phone away
5. Keep walking
Groundbreaking stuff there, right? The best part is that everyone can do it! In all seriousness, taking these simple steps to avoid texting and walking may seem inconvenient and inefficient, but recent studies suggest they will help you reach your location faster than by texting while walking.
Aside from causing potential injury and embarrassment, texting and walking also leads to more time and distance walking. According to a Stony Brook University study conducted earlier this year, participants who were texting veered from walking in a straight line, demonstrating a 61 percent lateral deviation. This deviation led to a 33 percent increase in trip duration and 13 percent increase in distance traveled from those who were walking without any distractions.
So next time you’re in a hurry and decide to fire off a text message, think twice and save yourself from potential injury and embarrassment. It might just save you some time to send the text when you reach your destination. Plus, if you’re communicating something via text message, it’s probably not a message that would justify becoming the next YouTube sensation for a texting and walking spill.
If you or a loved one has been severely injured from a catastrophic accident, please contact our office immediately for a free consultation. You can also learn more about GoldenbergLaw, PLLC by visiting our website.
For more information on texting and walking, visit the following sites:
ABC 57 Story on Texting and Walking
Stony Brook Study on Texting and Walking
Yahoo Story on Texting and Walking
YouTube Video of Cathy Cruz Marrero Falling Into Mall Fountain
Jack Jablonski, the 16-year old Minnesota hockey player paralyzed in a New Years Eve high school tournament game, is a state champion. Jablonski’s Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights cruised to a 5-1 victory over The Hill-Murray School Saturday at the Minnesota State Hockey Championship with their sophomore teammate cheering them on from a suite in the arena. The Red Knights entered the tournament unseeded and scored a last-minute 3-2 upset of Edina in the quarterfinals before crushing Lakeville South 10-1 to reach the finals.
Jack Jablonski cheers his teammates to victory at the Minnesota State Hockey Championship. Compliments of the Minneapolis Star Tribune
The fact that Jablonski attended the tournament and could celebrate with his teammates in the locker room after the game shows just how far he’s come since his January surgery to fuse two fractured vertebrae in his spinal chord. Doctors initially said he would lose all muscle function below his biceps, yet Jablonski continues to prove them wrong not three months removed from the injury. Look no further than the picture posted at left, which also adorned the front page of Sunday’s issue of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, to see that Jablonski is regaining function of his right hand and making progress on his left. Perhaps the most impressive part of Jack’s recovery is his unwavering positivity and determination to return to a life of normalcy.
“If I’m doing this so quickly and I’m not supposed to be doing this at this time, what could I be doing a month down the road?” Jablonski told Kare-11 in February.
Jablonski made enough progress to surprise his team in late February by attending their first section 6 tournament game and was able to join the team on the ice for the trophy presentation after the team won the section championship game. Seeing Jablonski hoist the trophy surrounded by his teammates was an emotional experience for BSM coach Ken Pauly after the two most challenging months of his 22-year career. In the face of such an unforeseen tragedy, Pauly did a phenomenal job keeping his players focused on the season while still paying tribute to their injured teammate.
Jack Jablonski shares a laugh with BSM coach Ken Pauly before a playoff game. Compliments of the Minneapolis Star Tribune
“We’ve had the right perspective on it from the beginning,” Pauly said. “The noise gets amplified the farther we go, and it isn’t always easy. Every question asked goes back to Jack. But we don’t hide from it. We embrace it.”
Once Jablonski began to heal in the weeks after surgery, Pauly started giving him game tapes to watch and analyze from his hospital bed. Constant visits from teammates, coaches, friends and family kept him updated on the team’s progress and by the time sections rolled around Jablonski felt strong enough to return to the rink for the first time since his injury. His return gave the team an emotional lift that carried them through Saturday.
“You can’t overplay the Jabby card but I guess you can’t underestimate the power of that sort of motivation, that love for a teammate and what that does for you,” Pauly said.
The BSM student section pays tribute to Jablonski during Saturday's State Championship game
That motivational energy could be felt all over the Excel Energy Center Saturday night, with the BSM student section engaging in chants of “All for Jabs” and “We love Jabby” throughout the game. The team responded on the ice with five goals from junior Grant Besse and a relentless offensive attack that didn’t stop until the final buzzer rang. After the on-ice celebration, Jablonski joined his teammates in the locker room for what Pauly called “a chance to be back together as a team alone away from the cameras.”
The Star Tribune reported Tuesday that Jablonski will receive a State Championship medal even though he wasn’t able to celebrate on the ice with his teammates after the game due to Minnesota State High School League rules. While he never imagined his team’s emotional saga ending in storybook fashion, Pauly stressed throughout the weekend that winning the championship is only a chapter of the story. Jablonski still has a challenging road ahead and needs the support he received during the season to continue through the ups and downs that lie ahead in his continued recovery. But for one night, Jablonski and his teammates could celebrate, together, everything they’ve accomplished on and off the ice in two and a half difficult months.
“It’s been emotional,” Pauly said. “It’s been spiritual. It’s been life-changing. I’ve seen a bunch of guys really grow, in a lot of different ways, in terms of caring about someone else. And not just putting words to it, but putting action to it. Considering the situation, we’ve all just kind of kept going forward. It is a relief and a release all at once.”
Keep inspiring us Jabs.
To make a donation to the Jack Jablonski Fund, visit
http://www.jabby13.com/
To follow Jack’s recovery, visit his Caring Bridge Page at
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jackjablonski
For more information on BSM winning the Minnesota State Hockey Championship and Jablonski’s recovery, visit the following links:
Star Tribune Article on Ken Pauly and BSM Hockey Team Coping with Jablonski Injury
Star Tribune Article on BSM Winning State Championship
Star Tribune Article on Jablonski Getting Championship Medal
Star Tribune Article on Crowd Support for BSM
Star Tribune Article on Benilde Winning Sections With Jablonski in Attendance
Kare-11 Story on Jablonski’s Recovery
Star Tribune on Jablonski in Post-Surgery Recovery
If you or a loved one has been severely injured from a catastrophic accident, please contact our office immediately for a free consultation. You can also learn more about GoldenbergLaw, PLLC by visiting our website.
A 22-year old Tampa woman brushed off the universal gesture of disrelish to rescue a young girl and her contemptuous mother from their burning car Monday evening. According to The Tampa Bay Times, Kristyn Dominy was driving home when the driver of a black Jeep sped past her and gestured her displeasure with Dominy’s driving prowess.
“She did flip me off whenever she passed me,” Dominy said.
Dominy noticed black smoke coming out of the woman’s vehicle but didn’t think much of it until she turned a corner and saw the Jeep engulfed in flames in a patch of trees off the road. The driver was on fire outside of the vehicle trying to rescue her daughter from the back seat. Apparently not one to hold a grudge, Dominy pulled over to help the women untangle her daughter from her seatbelt .
“My first thought when I came around the corner and saw that her vehicle was on fire, I was thinking karma,” Dominy said, “but the same time, I could never — even though she flipped me off down the road — I could never just sit there and watch that happen.”
After freeing the child from the vehicle and helping extinguish the flames burning the mother and daughter’s clothes, Dominy helped them to her car a safe distance away from the Jeep and called 911. The mother and daughter were airlifted to Tampa General Hospital, where the daughter was still in serious condition as of Wednesday morning. The mother did not sustain any serious injuries.
A friendly reminder to all drivers: If you see smoke coming out of your vehicle, pull over and have it towed to the nearest auto repair shop. Even a small amount of smoke indicates that something is likely awry inside of your vehicle.
Contrary to popular belief, car fires are rarely caused by collisions. The majority of car fires in the U.S. are caused by mechanical and electrical failures. The best way to prevent vehicle fires is to have your vehicle checked regularly by a licensed mechanic to ensure the safety of yourself and your loved ones on the road. For more information on car fire prevention, see our post on another recent near-tragic vehicle fire.
See below for the Tampa Bay Times’ interview with Dominy.
If you or a loved one has been severely injured from a catastrophic automobile accident or vehicle fire, please contact our office immediately for a free consultation. You can also learn more about GoldenbergLaw, PLLC by visiting our website or our auto safety resource center.
For more information on the car fire in Tampa and car fire prevention, please visit the following links:
A Los Angeles area postal worker died Wednesday after his legs were severed when he was hit and pinned between his truck and another vehicle. According to CBS Los Angeles, 31-year old Anthony Dunn Jr. was sorting mail near the back of his truck when he was struck by Felipe Soto, who claimed he had swerved to avoid hitting a dog. LAPD Investigators have a different theory of what caused the horrific incident – that Soto, who was driving with a suspended license, was asleep at the wheel.
Screenshot of the accident from CBS LA
Dunn’s legs were severed on impact and he was rushed to LA County USC Medical Center where he died from his injuries. Soto remained at the scene after the accident and was not taken into custody, though LAPD Officer Karen Rayner said they are still investigating and charges are likely. Soto reportedly works for Blue Horizon Trading and a photo of the accident suggests that the vehicle he was driving was a delivery truck. Blue Horizon refused to comment on the story, and it is unclear whether Soto was working at the time of the incident or whether the company was aware its employee was driving with a suspended license. The vehicle was impounded when authorities discovered Soto did not have an active license.
Given the gruesome nature of this tragedy, one would presume these types of accidents are few and far between. Sadly, that is not the case. According to PostalNews.com, this is the fourth known incident in recent years where a USPS worker has been killed or severely injured while working near the back of a postal truck. The blog entry reporting Dunn’s death on PostalNews.com starts with this shocking note:
“In 2006 Maureen DePrince, a carrier in Ventnor NJ lost both legs, her eyesight, and normal brain function after being pinned at the back of a van when a drunk driver crashed into it. In 2009 Roy Rondeno, a 34 year veteran carrier from New Orleans, just weeks from retirement, was sorting mail at the back of a van when a car pinned him, severing his legs. Rondeno died a week later. And just a few weeks ago, Columbus Ohio carrier Doug Poole was working at the back of his USPS van when he was pinned by an SUV, breaking both legs. According to the NALC, “He is still undergoing treatment and it’s questionable whether he’ll regain the use of his legs.”
Our thoughts go out to Dunn’s family during this difficult time. We hope tragedies like this remind drivers to always be aware of their surroundings and on the look out for other drivers and pedestrians on the road. If you’ve been drinking or are feeling too weary to drive safely, STAY OFF THE ROADS. There are no acceptable excuses for operating a vehicle under a state of cognitive impairment.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an automobile accident, please contact our office immediately for a free consultation. You can also learn more about GoldenbergLaw, PLLC by visiting our website or at mncollisioncenter.com.
For more information on Anthony Dunn’s death and distracted driving, see the links below.
Six people were killed in three separate accidents on snowy, fog covered roads in western Minnesota Monday. The fatalities occurred near the end of a dry, mild winter that has produced well below the 50+ inches of snowfall much of the state averages annually, raising concerns that drivers are belittling the dangers of driving in wintry weather due to lack of exposure. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, four of the deceased were freshmen at North Dakota State University returning to school after a long weekend home in the Twin Cities.
The grisly aftermath of a crash that killed four young women near Alexandria Monday. Property of the Alexandria Echo Press
The four women were traveling west on Interstate 94 near Alexandria around 3 P.M. when their vehicle crossed the median and was broadsided by an oncoming SUV, which was subsequently hit by a third car. Three passengers from the other vehicles were taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries. State Patrol authorities have not officially determined if the weather played a role in the accident, though strong winds, fog and heavy snowfall led to diminished visibility in the region Monday. Irregardless of cause, there was no denying the level of tragedy stemming from the loss of four young lives.
“Been at this for 32 years and this is one of the worst that I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a lot of ‘em,” Lt. Dan Vickmark of the Minnesota State Patrol told Kare 11 news.
Less than thirty minutes after the accident, the driver of a Buick LeSabre in nearby Pope County spun into an oncoming Mack semi-truck and careened into a ditch. According to CBS Minnesota, the driver of the LeSabre was killed while the semi-truck driver walked away unscathed. Other drivers in the area reported icy conditions at the time of the accident.
A third fatal crash at 6:15 in Douglas County killed one and injured two others. The inclement weather continued into Tuesday and forecasters are predicting snow showers throughout the state for the rest of the week. Kent Barnard of the Minnesota Department of Transportation is anticipating a busy week for road cleaning crews and urged drivers to be patient while traveling on slick roads.
“We’ve been spoiled this year,” Barnard said. “We just want to warn people to keep their cruise controls off if the roads are a little bit slippery, don’t tailgate and stay off the phone.”
Barnard said the one positive for road conditions is that pavement temperatures are too warm for snow to freeze quickly so it takes longer for icy conditions to form. Even so, State Patrol Sgt. Josh Grabow hopes drivers across the state see Monday’s tragedies as a sad reminder of the diligence required when driving in inclement winter weather.
“I’d advise people to use caution while traveling,” Grabow said. “This is a reminder that winter is still here and we need to slow down and pay attention.”
If you or a loved one has been injured in an automobile accident, please contact our office immediately for a free consultation. You can also learn more about GoldenbergLaw, PLLC by visiting our website or at mncollisioncenter.com.
For more information on Monday’s accidents in western Minnesota, please visit the following links.
Star Tribune Article on All Three Accidents
Kare-11 Story on Crash That Killed 4 Roommates
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