Cloquet man injured after being backed over by an excavator

A 29-year-old Cloquet man was injured Wednesday after accidently being backed over by an excavator while working on the College Drive project at the College Drive and Fourth Street South intersection in Brainerd, Brainerd Police Chief Corky McQuiston said.

Andrew Jutila suffered significant injuries to his pelvic and leg areas and was taken by North Memorial Ambulance to Essentia Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd and then transferred to North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale, where late Wednesday he was reported in critical condition.

McQuiston said Jutila was conscious and alert at the scene, however the extent and nature of his injuries and condition was not known.

McQuiston said that the excavator operator was Daniel Carlson, 24, Cloquet. Carlson and Jutila are both employed by Andrew Jutila Companies of Scanlon.

The incident was reported at 11:24 a.m.

The Brainerd Fire Department, the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota State Patrol assisted the Brainerd Police Department at the scene.

Emergency personnel had to close a portion of College Drive at the intersection located behind the Brainerd High School South campus for a short time to allow them to help Jutila.