3 dead in series of fatal crashes in Minnesota over 24-hour period
WORTHINGTON, Minn. — Multiple deadly crashes were reported in Minnesota in 24 hours from Friday to Saturday afternoon.
The first crash happened on eastbound Interstate 90 in Nobles County at approximately 1:12 p.m. on Friday. According to a crash report, a Chevrolet Equinox had been stopped in the lane when a Ram Pickup driven by a 45-year-old woman struck the vehicle from behind.
The driver and sole occupant of the Chevrolet, identified as 75-year-old Christie Lee Eichner, of Worthington, died as a result of her injuries. The Minnesota State Patrol says she had not been wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
The driver of the Ram and its two passengers were not injured.
Roughly 12 hours later, three vehicles collided on Highway 52 near Pine Island Township in the early hours of Saturday morning, killing a 60-year-old woman from Rochester and injuring two others.
The Minnesota State Patrol says a 35-year-old San Diego woman had been driving a Toyota Tacoma northbound in the southbound lanes of Highway 52 when it struck a Chevrolet Equinox and a Jeep Compass. The Toyota driver suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to St. Mary's Hospital. She is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.
The driver of the Chevrolet, 60-year-old Larae Lynne Post, died from her injuries. She had been the only occupant of the car, according to the crash report.
The driver of the Jeep, a 25-year-old Rochester woman, suffered injuries not considered to be life-threatening and received treatment at St. Mary's Hospital.
Then, shortly before noon on Saturday, a 36-year-old man driving a Buick Lesabre died after crossing the center line on Highway 95 in Mille Lacs County and striking a Chevrolet Equinox. He had not been wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, the state patrol reports. Several others were injured.
Also on Saturday morning, five people were injured, including a 6-year-old girl, in a head-on crash near Stacy. The girl had to be flown to a trauma center, where she is in critical condition. Police arrested a man in connection to the incident and alcohol is suspected to have contributed to the crash.