A tragic miscalculation turned fatal for a 76-year-old woman driving in Beltrami County on Friday morning. According to the KSTP, the elderly driver identified as Kathleen Rose Patch of Blackduck fatally collided with a pickup truck while attempting an ill-advised maneuver.
In clear violation of road rules, the victim drove her Buick Verano eastbound on Lumberjack Road northwest in Alaska Township, when she attempted to overtake a farm implement in a no-passing zone cresting the top of a hill. Driving her truck westbound, a Ford F150 collided head-on with the Buick, which Patch navigated at that fateful moment.
Local officials reported that the accident claimed Patch's life on the scene. The Beltrami County Sheriff's Office outlined the incident's stark aftermath, with the driver of the Ford F150 sustaining minor injuries. The press release also highlighted that the unfortunate driver of the Buick was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the incident. The woman was pronounced dead.
The collision was also covered by KFGO, detailing the crash's specifics. The report adds geographical context, placing the point of impact four miles east of Minnesota Highway 89, roughly 30 miles north of Bemidji.
