North Oaks Man Dies In Cottage Grove Rollover Crash
COTTAGE GROVE, Minn. (WCCO) -- A 52-year-old North Oaks man died Sunday in a one-vehicle crash and fire in Cottage Grove, according to police.
Police and fire officials were called at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday to the area of Innovation Rd., south of Highway 61, on a report of a possible fire. When officers arrived, they located a single vehicle crash and the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames.
Authorities say a State Patrol helicopter confirmed that nobody was ejected from the vehicle and there was no sign that anyone got out of the vehicle. The Cottage Grove Fire Department arrived to the scene after the fire was put out and found a lone occupant dead inside the vehicle.
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office identified the body as Gordon Matthew Babbs of North Oaks. Authorities ruled his initial cause of death to be severe thermal injuries.
An investigation shows the driver was heading southbound on Innovation Road south of Highway 61 at a high rate of speed. The vehicle left the roadway, went through a chain link fence and rolled several times before coming to a rest on the passenger side about 50 yards from the road.
