Minnesota State Patrol reported a relatively quiet Thanksgiving night despite winter weather warnings in northern Minnesota. Roads were icy overnight throughout the region, but state patrol said accidents reported on Friday were minor; limited mostly to vehicles ending up in the ditch. No injuries were reported.
Three separate accidents were reported in Baxter. According the Baxter Police Department, the first accident occurred just after 7 p.m. Thursday when a vehicle got stuck on the center median at Design Drive and Highway 371. Shortly after, a second accident was reported at Edgewood Drive and Excelsior Road. The driver reported that he slid into the stop sign at the Holiday gas station. The sign and vehicle were damaged. There where no injuries reported in either incident.
A two-vehicle collision was reported at approximately 10:30 p.m. Thursday in Baxter at the intersection of Glory Road and Highway 371. The occupants of one of the vehicles in the collision reported minor injures.
No accidents were reported in the city of Brainerd or to the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Department on Friday morning.
The state patrol said that, while roads were beginning to thaw out, drivers should continue to take extra precaution.
After balmy weather for most of Thanksgiving day, parts of Minnesota are seeing temperatures drop as much as 30 degrees.
A KSTP-TV report says temperatures that started in the 60s Thursday dipped into the 30s by late afternoon. Rain, sleet and snow have begun falling in parts of the metro.
The State Patrol says areas in the northwest, central and west-central parts of the state are seeing slippery spots and blowing snow. Drivers are being cautioned to watch for icy spots on bridges and overpasses.
Troopers responded to a number of vehicles that slid off the roadway on I-94 near Fergus Falls.
A Minnesota State Patrol trooper suffered minor injuries when his vehicle was hit as he was helping drivers in central Minnesota.
State Patrol Lt. Eric Roeske says the trooper was helping with vehicles that went off the road on U.S. Highway 10, north of Sauk Rapids, on Friday morning when his squad car was hit.
The Minnesota State Patrol reported 186 crashes, including 45 rollovers, as of Friday morning. Another 244 vehicles slid off the road and needed to be towed. There were nearly 30 minor injuries and no fatalities reported.
(The Associated Press contributed to this story)
SARAH NELSON KATZENBERGER may be reached at sarah.nelsonkatzenberger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5879.
Comments (11)
Add commentNo injuries?
The State Patrol sure didn't do their homework before releasing their information.
There was a head-on crash in Alexandria that left one person in serious condition. Here's the story --> http://www.echopress.com/event/article/id/99752/
And I personally helped two people who rolled their SUV near Walmart on 371 around 5pm and there's no mention of that even though I waited until a Trooper arrived so it had to have been reported.
I think the amount of misinformation is due to the fact that MN-DOT completely dropped the ball on this storm. They didn't have enough people on standby due to the holiday to run salt trucks and there's an effort underway to make it sound like everything was okay. It clearly was not if you drove on 371 last night.
Roads were in great shape
Roads were in great shape here in Miami, thanks to tons of salt spread on Wednesday.
Ron Mexico
We drove by at that time so, I too was looking for that report.
We came back from the Cities and the part from the golf course to Brainerd was the worst.We were glad we left when we did.
Also, cars in the ditch before we got to Walmart.
And a good day to you
Thanks for the thumbs down on a totally vanilla remark
about cars in the ditch. I know that is not sexy.
Don't Blame MNDOT
This was not even in the category of a storm. A couple of inches of blowing snow coupled with the unsatiable desire of a bunch of people peddling their derriers on the streets and in the stores in the wee hours of the morning just to be better than the person next door is what created these accidents. God forbid that a shopping spree should be interferred with by a couple inches of blowing snow. Don't blame MNDOT for your inability to go shopping or your inability to drive in a slight dusting of snow. If you haven't learned how to drive in Minnesota yet, then stay home and stop acting like some raving idiot in a shopping center. What would you do in a real storm. DON'T BLAME MNDOT.
Does the Dispatch ever read their own articles?
In another nail biting, ultra journalistic, well researched article in the very confines of this silly newpaper:
The Minnesota State Patrol reported 186 crashes, including 45 rollovers, as of Friday morning. Another 244 vehicles slid off the road and needed to be towed. There were nearly 30 minor injuries and no fatalities reported.
Welcome Back
pdnet15!
Charlie, the snow wasn't the
Charlie, the snow wasn't the trouble on the roads it was the ice. You are on here telling people not to put the blame on MNDOT but yet proceed to make fun of people assuming they were out shopping trying to be better than their neighbor and trying to put the blame on them. I for one was traveling to get my dog to the vet. Oh and by the way, the guy I stopped to help after he rolled his truck was on his way home from the post office not from shopping.
jillmae
Then learn how to drive. You do live in Mn. All those shoppers create black ice and you should know that, along with the rollover in the ditch. Overdriving the conditions is not an excuse. MNDOT is not here for you. They are here for the people of Minnesota.
damn right charlie!
damn right charlie!
Well I'll be
Here I thought you went & croaked or something PD!! I just didnt have the drive to sit on the wall & watch traffic on the round-heads.
Charlie it's the same old same old every year!! People forget how to drive. I would like to see a good storm where ya have to have your door open looking down to see if you're on the road. Now that slows people down.