One dead, one seriously injured in rural Hennepin County head-on crash
INDEPENDENCE, Minn. — West Hennepin Public Safety is investigating a head-on crash that killed one and left another with serious injuries on Friday in Independence.
Police say the crash happened just after 10 p.m. on Highway 12. It is believed that one of the cars crossed the center line before colliding head-on with oncoming traffic. Police say that preliminary information indicates the driver may have been distracted.
A 32-year-old man from Montrose was pronounced dead at the scene. He was later identified as Destin Ertel.
The other driver, a 35-year-old man from Bloomington, was taken to a local hospital. Officials say he is in serious but stable condition.
Both drivers were the lone occupant of their cars.
Loved ones remember fatal crash victim
Family members said Ertel was a loving father of three. They tell WCCO that his intelligence, kindness and warmth touched the lives of all who knew him.
"It's unfortunately something we have had to deal with over the years a number of times," said Phil Kern, Chair for the Highway 12 Safety Coalition, and city administrator for the city of Delano. "For decades there have been significant serious crashes on this corridor."
WCCO has covered several of these crashes that Kern said have picked up in the past 10 years.
The safety coalition was formed in 2014 to advocate for highway safety improvements. Some of the things they have advocated for have come to fruition over the past decade, including barriers along the two-lane highway, rumble strips and replacement of dangerous intersections.
"We have a highway corridor that was designed in the 1930s and has simply just been updated but has not been redesigned for current community needs," said Kern.
However, more needs to be done, he said. A 2022 Minnesota Department of Transportation study on the corridor found that "fatal crashes are expected to continue occurring if no changes are made."
Just 10 days ago, Kern said MnDOT told the safety coalition they are actively working on a new design for the highway. He said those plans could include more safety barriers, reduction of accesses and softening of curves and hills.
"We want to see MnDOT and our federal partners provide the resources needed to fulfill what that corridor study identified, which is that improvements are needed," said Kern.