On a wet Tuesday night west of Brainerd, a two-vehicle crash on Highway 210 left a 19-year-old Richmond woman dead and sent another young driver to the hospital. The collision took place about 10 miles west of the city when an eastbound SUV tried to turn left onto West Sylvan Drive SW and collided with a westbound car in the intersection. First responders were called shortly before 9 p.m.; the passenger in the car died after being taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Brainerd, while the two drivers and two children in the SUV were either treated or able to walk away from the scene.
State Patrol Details Deadly Highway Collision
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the crash happened at about 8:56 p.m. when a 2014 Ford Expedition traveling east on Highway 210 turned left onto West Sylvan Drive SW and moved into the path of a westbound 2017 Kia Forte, leading to a collision between the two vehicles. Troopers noted that airbags deployed and described the road conditions as wet at the time. The patrol’s incident report also states that alcohol was not a factor in the crash, per the preliminary display from the Minnesota State Patrol.
Victim Identified, Others Hurt Or Unharmed
The passenger who died has been identified as 19-year-old Taylor Rae Wahnschaffe of Richmond. The driver of the Kia, 21-year-old Jonah Daniel Oleary of Browerville, was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Brainerd with injuries that were described as not life-threatening. The SUV’s driver, 40-year-old Travis Leigh Grossman of Pillager, along with two children in the Expedition, ages 12 and 10, were not injured, according to Valley News Live.
Seat Belts, Wet Pavement Cited In Report
The state crash display notes that the passenger who died was not wearing a seat belt, and troopers pointed out that unrestrained occupants often suffer much more severe injuries in crashes that might otherwise be survivable. The report classifies the incident as a two-vehicle collision, again flagging the wet road conditions and deployed airbags as key details in the preliminary findings, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
Emergency Response And Ongoing Investigation
Pillager Fire Department, North Memorial Ambulance and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office assisted state troopers at the scene, and investigators say the crash is still under review. Local coverage reports that first responders arrived shortly before 9 p.m. and that the State Patrol is leading the ongoing investigation, as reported by KFGO.
Why Buckling Up Still Matters In Minnesota
Despite Minnesota’s high overall seat-belt use, unbelted drivers and passengers continue to represent a disproportionate share of traffic fatalities. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety reports that about 95 percent of Minnesotans wear seat belts, yet more than 100 unbelted motorists died on state roads in 2024. Those numbers back up what troopers repeat at nearly every crash scene: buckling up remains one of the simplest and most effective ways to survive a serious wreck. Statewide data and safety information are available from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
