Four people were killed Wednesday evening in a head-on crash on U.S. Highway 169 near the south shore of Mille Lacs Lake, according to local authorities. The two-vehicle collision shut down the two-lane stretch of highway while troopers and county crews worked a grim scene and began sorting out what happened. Investigators say one car crossed the center line and hit an oncoming vehicle; the exact reason for that move is still under review.
Crash details and timeline
According to the Star Tribune, the crash happened just before 7 p.m., when a northbound Buick LeSabre crossed the center line near Shakopee Lake Road and collided with a vehicle traveling the opposite direction. Troopers told reporters the roadway was dry at the time. First responders worked to extricate people from the wreckage and confirm how many had been killed as they cleared debris and rerouted traffic. The State Patrol is leading the investigation and has said it will release a formal crash report once its on-scene work is complete.
Victims and response
MPR News reported the death toll as four, with initial accounts indicating five people were involved overall. WCCO/CBS Minnesota noted that the Buick carried a single passenger and the other vehicle held four occupants, and that local agencies, including Mille Lacs County deputies and tribal police, assisted State Patrol troopers at the scene. Authorities have not yet publicly released the identities of all the victims, and hospitals and county offices told reporters they had not received full victim notifications by early Thursday.
Another deadly crash a day earlier
The Wednesday wreck came a day after a separate fatal collision on the same stretch of Highway 169. According to the Minnesota State Patrol's incident log, a Feb. 24 crash at Highway 169 and 460th Street killed 50-year-old Nicole Elizabeth Freeman of Garrison and sent 42-year-old Leslie James Gahbow of Isle to the hospital with noncritical injuries. Troopers said icy conditions contributed to that earlier collision and the roadway was closed for hours while crews cleared that scene.
Investigation and what to watch for
The State Patrol continues to investigate both crashes and has asked anyone with dash-camera footage or information to contact its Brainerd district office. This two-lane stretch of Hwy. 169 around Mille Lacs has seen multiple serious collisions in recent winters, a pattern noted in local coverage. This story will be updated as troopers and county officials release additional details.
