(Sibley)—Weather-related crashes Monday kept officials in Osceola county on the run.
The first incident took place shortly after 11:00 a.m. Authorities say 28-year-old Casey Kaufman of Waite Park, Minnesota was driving a 1979 Ford pickup southbound on Highway 59 and 70-year-old Lawrence Kruger of Sibley was driving a 1989 Chevrolet pickup. Deputies say Kruger was backing out of a field drive onto Highway 59 when he collided with the vehicle driven by Kaufman, sending it into the east ditch.
The vehicle driven by Kruger sustained an estimated $1,500 in damage; damage to the vehicle Kaufman was driving was estimated at $2,500.
Two passengers in Kaufman’s vehicle, 35-year-old Chad Anderson of Cokato, Minnesota and 48-year-old Michael Ronning of Monticello, Minnesota had to be extricated from the vehicle. They were taken to the Osceola Community Hospital in Sibley with incapacitating injuries.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on the scene by Sibley Fire and Rescue, Ocheyedan Fire and Rescue and the Sibley ambulances.
The second incident took place around 12:30 p.m. Authorities say 70-year-old Margaret Craig of Ponca, Nebraska was driving a 2007 Chrysler van northbound on Highway 60 and 18-year-old Kaitlin Fischer of Jackson, Minnesota was driving a 2009 Chevrolet also northbound. Deputies say Fischer was attempting to pass Craig on the left when she lost control on the slush-covered road. The two vehicles collided, with the one driven by Fischer then going into the ditch. Fischer sustained possible injuries and was taken to the Osceola Community Hospital.
$3,500 in damage was estimated to the vehicle driven by Fischer; the one driven by Craig sustained an estimated $3,000 in damage.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Sibley Fire and Rescue and the Sibley ambulance.
The third incident was reported around 1:00 p.m. Monday. The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office says 57-year-old George Letscher of Spirit Lake was driving a 2001 Pontiac Montana westbound on Highway 9 when he lost control on some slush. The vehicle slid into the south ditch, coming to rest on the driver’s side.
Letscher was taken by ambulance to Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake for treatment of incapacitating injuries.
$4,500 in damage was estimated to the vehicle.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on the scene by the Ocheyedan ambulance.
