(Milford)—Icy conditions were sited Sunday in a collision involving a car and a semi on Highway 71 south of 230th Street on a hillside just south of Milford.
The Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office says a 2003 Nissan driven by Kaylee Durst of Okoboji was parked at an angle along southbound lanes of the road. Authorities say Alexander Cruz of Storm Lake was driving a semi tractor trailer loaded with turkeys, also southbound, and lost control, colliding with Durst’s vehicle. The impact caused Durst’s vehicle to spin into the ditch.
Both drivers were taken to Lakes Regional Healthcare: Cruz was transported by ambulance; Durst was taken by a friend.
Authorities had to shut the highway down a couple of times as a result of the crash to round up some turkeys that got loose and to upright the semi.
$7,000 in damage was estimated to the car; the semi sustained an estimated $20,000 in damage.
The crash took place around 7:50 a.m.
No citations were issued. Authorities say freezing rain was falling at the time, and that the highway was so slippery that a D.O.T sanding truck had to make two attempts to make it up the hill.
The Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Milford Police Department, Milford Fire and Rescue and the Lakes Regional Healthcare ambulance and paramedics.
Authorities throughout the region say they received numerous reports of vehicles in ditches and fender benders as a result of the ice storm.
