Crashes kill four

Freezing rain Friday continued to cause problems for Minnesota motorists, the day after four people died in central Minnesota crashes on ice-coated roads stretching from Fergus Falls in western Minnesota into northwestern Wisconsin.

In southern Minnesota, the rain began just after 5 a.m., slowing commute time and resulting in accidents on U.S. 169 and Interstate 90.

About 44 school districts in central and east-central Minnesota and in western Wisconsin closed Friday or started late because of icy roads.

The rain was expected to change to snow, with 2 inches to 5 inches of snow forecast for southeastern Minnesota by Friday night.

On Thursday, a man and a woman died in a rollover in Douglas County. Their names were being withheld until relatives had been notified.

Two other people died in separate pickup accidents.

James Mills, 43, of Brooklyn Park, died after his pickup left U.S. 169 in Sherburne County and rolled, and Jeremy John Norberg, 27, of Sartell, was killed when his pickup left Interstate 94 near the Albany interchage.