1 dead, 1 critically injured after Cass County crash

A woman is dead and a man is critically injured after a crash Wednesday morning in Cass County.

According to a Minnesota State Patrol crash report, a Chevrolet Silverado was headed north on Highway 371, north of Highway 87 in Backus, when it crossed into the southbound lane and hit a Ford Escape.

The passenger of the Ford — identified as 83-year-old Susan Ann Bye-Elyea — died from her injuries, and the 86-year-old driver of the Ford suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital. The two people in the Chevrolet, identified as a 56-year-old St. Cloud man and a 26-year-old Foley man, both suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to a hospital.

Troopers noted the road was snowy and icy just after 7:30 a.m. when the crash happened, although it wasn’t immediately clear what caused the crash.

The investigation remains active.