A 1-year-old boy suffered non-life-threatening injuries Friday morning after two SUVs collided while traveling south on Highway 15 near Kingston Street in Maine Prairie Township, just outside Kimball. The child was riding in one of the vehicles when the crash happened around 10:40 a.m. and was taken to Hutchinson Hospital for treatment.
According to WJON, the boy was a passenger in an SUV driven by 26-year-old Jazimine Johnson of Hutchinson, which collided with a second SUV driven by 45-year-old David Russell of St. Cloud. Minnesota State Patrol says both vehicles were headed south on Highway 15 at the time of the crash. Neither driver was reported to have suffered injuries.
The toddler's trip to Hutchinson Hospital, part of the HealthPartners network located roughly 30 miles south of Kimball along Highway 15, reflects the direct highway connection between the rural crash site and Johnson's hometown, according to HealthPartners. The exact mechanism of the collision — whether a rear-end impact, a turning maneuver, or a side-swipe — has not been detailed publicly, and it remains an open question pending further review.
A Stretch of Highway With a Troubled History
Friday's crash adds to a string of serious collisions along the Highway 15 corridor through Maine Prairie Township in recent years. In February, an 84-year-old driver was killed in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Highway 15 and County Road 146 in the same township, as Hoodline previously reported. Years earlier, in February 2022, a teenager died and a semi-truck driver was hurt when a vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign at that same Highway 15 and County Road 146 crossroads near Kimball, per historical reporting on the crash.
Highway 15 is maintained under Minnesota Department of Transportation District 3, while traffic enforcement and crash investigations along the corridor fall to Minnesota State Patrol District 2600, based out of St. Cloud, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The road carries heavy agricultural and freight traffic through rural Stearns County, a factor that has repeatedly surfaced in serious crashes in the area.
Stearns County's Place Among Minnesota's Deadliest Roads
The crash arrives as Stearns County continues to post some of the state's higher traffic fatality numbers. The county recorded 16 traffic deaths in 2025, the sixth-highest total among Minnesota counties and about 4.3% of the state's total traffic fatalities that year, according to KNSI. Commercial vehicles were involved in three of the county's fatal crashes in 2025, tying Stearns for the second-highest commercial vehicle fatality count in the state, the outlet reports.
Regionally, the tri-county area of Stearns, Sherburne and Benton counties recorded 33 combined traffic deaths in 2025, with Sherburne logging 12 fatalities and Benton five, per the same report. That local picture stands in contrast to statewide trends: total traffic fatalities across Minnesota fell 22% in 2025 to 370 deaths, down from 475 in 2024 and marking the state's lowest annual total since 2019, KNSI notes.
Car Seat Laws and the Stakes for Young Passengers
The toddler's injuries also underscore the safety stakes for the youngest vehicle passengers. Since August 1, 2024, Minnesota has required children under two years old to ride in rear-facing car seats until they reach the height or weight limits set by the seat's manufacturer, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Research compiled by AAA shows properly installed child safety seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants under age one and by 54% for toddlers aged 1 to 4, according to AAA.
No further details on the cause of Friday's crash or any potential citations have been released. Minnesota State Patrol's investigation into the collision remains ongoing.
