Minnesota's first brush with winter this season led to treacherous travel conditions across the state, resulting in more than 200 vehicular mishaps on its snow-blanketed roads. According to KARE 11, the Minnesota State Patrol reported they were called to 216 crashes, including 14 that involved injuries between Friday morning and Saturday morning.
Adding to the havoc, troopers also handled 65 spin-outs and, illustrating the severity of conditions, a jackknifed semi. The wintry spell turned fatal for two individuals—one in Lyon County where a semi and a pickup collided and another in a centerline crossing incident in Beltrami County. As per a report by Bring Me The News, a 76-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene after her Buick collided with a Ford F-150 on icy roads.
While the heavy snowfall has ceased, cold temperatures persist, making travel risky. Drivers should watch for slick roads, particularly in west-central Minnesota, where scattered snow showers were expected Saturday. A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for the I-94 corridor between Alexandria and Moorhead, complicating road conditions further.
Travelers in southeast Minnesota and southern Wisconsin are urged to exercise caution as roads continue to be snow-covered and treacherous. The other fatal crash, occurring in dry conditions, involved a 69-year-old man from Lynd when his Dodge Ram collided with a Freightliner truck in Marshall. Local authorities are reminding residents to drive with care during this perilous period.
