WILLMAR - A pickup truck slammed into a Kandiyohi County squad car Thursday morning head-on as it was stopped at a crash scene, becoming the second of two crashes within minutes on the same stretch of Highway 71 south of Willmar.
According to the State Patrol, the first crash happened just after 8 a.m. Thursday, when a 2007 Dodge Caravan attempted to pass a 2003 Buick Rendezvous as both traveled south on Highway 71.
The road was icy, and the Dodge lost control near 150th Avenue Southeast, sideswiping the buick and pushing it into the ditch.
Buick driver Maria Elena Gutierrez, 46, of Willmar, was transported to Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar with non-life-threatening injuries.
Dodge driver Mahad Mohamud Hanshi, 26, of Willmar, and passenger Mowlid Abdisamad Hassan, 33, of Savage, were not injured.
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The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office, Blomkest First Responders and Lake Lillian Ambulance were called to the scene along with the State Patrol.
As one Kandiyohi County squad car traveled north to the scene just minutes later, it slowed down and pulled over to the shoulder, with emergency lights activated, to turn around for the crash which was in the opposite ditch.
According to the State Patrol, a 1998 Chevrolet pickup traveling south at that time lost control on the icy road, crossed the centerline and struck that squad car head-on.
Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Deputy Tim Fischer, 37, of Willmar, had been driving the squad car. He had a few scrapes, according to Sheriff Dan Hartog, but was not hospitalized. His passenger, Kandiyohi County Deputy Brandon James Grimsley, 34, of Willmar, was transported to Rice Hospital in Willmar with non-life-threatening injuries.
The squad car, a few years old, was severely damaged, its front end smashed in.
Hartog said Grimsley is new at the Sheriff's Office and just started last week. He was training with Fischer at the time of the crash.
"Thankfully both of them are OK," he said. "This is just a reminder to slow down on the roads out there."
He said Grimsley was treated for minor injuries and released.
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Chevrolet driver Ramon Castillo, 69, of Willmar, was not injured, the Patrol said.
Blomkest Fire and Willmar Ambulance were then called to the scene to assist with the second crash. All had been wearing seatbelts in both crashes.
Hartog said Thursday's sunny sky was deceiving: Highway 71 was, at least in this spot, glare ice.
"Be aware of the road conditions and watch your speed," he said.
The double crash came after over 48 hours of treacherous road conditions. Snow, ice and wind caused rough roads Tuesday and Wednesday. Below-zero temperatures Thursday made sure that the roads stayed icy.
Minnesota Department of Transportation District 8 maintenance supervisor Denny Marty told the Tribune on Tuesday that maintenance crews were hard at work putting salt and sand on the highways, to no avail.
"We're trying to get sand on it, but the wind is blowing it off faster than we can get it on," he said in a story published Wednesday. "We're doing what we can, but we're not gaining very much."
The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office and Willmar Police Department continued to respond to many reports of cars off the road or in the ditch, as they have for the last two days.
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One woman was even stopped and given a warning for running a red light on Highway 71 due to the icy conditions.
The National Weather Service issued a wind chill advisory for much of Minnesota beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, including Lac qui Parle, Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Meeker, Yellow Medicine and Renville counties.
The advisory was expected to expire at midnight.
"An arctic air mass has surged southward across the upper midwest this afternoon," the advisory stated. It warned of windchills between 20 and 30 degrees below zero, the coldest around 11 p.m.
"The cold wind chills will cause frostbite in as little as 30 minutes to exposed skin," the service said.
Marty said on Tuesday that it would be difficult to get all the ice and snow off the roads until the temperature warms up, which may not happen until Sunday.
