A 60-year-old man from Watertown, South Dakota, was killed Tuesday when his pickup collided with an SUV at a rural Dakota County intersection just south of the Twin Cities. The crash happened around 11:20 a.m. on March 31 at Highway 3 and 280th Street West in Castle Rock Township. Authorities identified the victim as Duane Daniel Maag, who died at the scene. The other driver, a 16-year-old boy from Farmington, suffered injuries that officials described as not life threatening. Troopers said the road was dry and alcohol was not suspected.
According to Bring Me The News, citing a Minnesota State Patrol incident report, the collision involved a westbound Ford F-250 and a northbound Dodge Durango. The report noted that Maag was not wearing a seatbelt. State patrol officials say the report remains under review and have cautioned that details could change as the investigation moves forward.
Emergency response and road closure
First responders from Randolph-Hampton Fire and the Dakota County Sheriff's Office rushed to the scene, and an AirCare medical helicopter was initially dispatched before being called off, Limitless Media News reported. Highway 3 was shut down for several hours between 275th Street West and 280th Street West while troopers documented the scene and cleared the wreckage.
Planned safety upgrades at the intersection
A Rural Intersection Assessment recommended converting the junction at Highway 3 and 280th Street West into a single-lane roundabout, citing traffic volume and a history of crashes at the site, according to Dakota County. The county's project page lists drainage improvements and access-management changes as part of the plan and notes that construction is scheduled for 2026. Public outreach on the project has already been completed.
Crash history underscores the concern
The same stretch of Highway 3 has seen other serious collisions in recent months, including a February crash that temporarily shut down the roadway. That pattern helped drive the county's push for a roundabout at the intersection, Limitless Media News notes. Transportation officials say roundabouts reduce severe crossing conflicts and slow vehicle speeds, key goals in the planned redesign.
Minnesota State Patrol remains the lead agency on the investigation, and Bring Me The News reports that alcohol is not suspected and that conditions were dry at the time of impact. Troopers and county officials have not released further details, and the investigation is ongoing.
