Baby killed on icy I-35 Wednesday in Owatonna; dozens more injured across Minnesota
OWATONNA, Minn. — The Minnesota State Patrol says a baby died in a crash Wednesday morning on an icy Interstate 35 in Owatonna.
A pickup truck driven by a 25-year-old Owatonna man went off the interstate and into a ditch near Steele County Road 9 at about 7:41 a.m., the state patrol says.
There were two young passengers inside the truck: an infant boy and a 4-year-old girl, both from Owatonna. The state patrol says the baby was killed and the girl and man survived with injuries not considered life-threatening.
Minnesota State Patrol says in a 24-hour span Wednesday, troopers responded to 631 crashes, 57 with injuries, and two that were deadly. In addition, they responded to 26 jackknifed semis and 164 vehicles off the road.
"It was kind of a rude awakening," said Lt. Mike Lee of Minnesota State Patrol. "The amount of snow wasn't astronomical, but I think it was just a culmination of the first snowfall, the wind, the colder temperatures, maybe people weren't expecting it as much."
Lee says he hopes drivers remember to drive slowly, wear a seatbelt, and drive without distractions the next time the snow falls.
"Last year, we had such a mild winter – it almost seems like many people forget the tips for driving safely in the wintertime," he said.