2 dead, 2 hurt after crash involving ambulance in Itasca County

A man and a teenager are dead after a crash in Itasca County Tuesday morning involving an ambulance.

The Minnesota State Patrol said at around 10:21 a.m., an ambulance was heading south on County Road 336 when a dump truck going eastbound on County Road 57 collided and T-boned the ambulance in the intersection.

There were three people in the ambulance, and two of those people have died.

According to the state patrol, the victims have been identified as 51-year-old Troy Edward Boettcher from Warba and 17-year-old Joseph Michael Latimer from Grand Rapids.

Boettcher was an EMT with the Meds-1 team in Grand Rapids, according to Hubbard Broadcasting sister station WDIO-TV.

The troopers said the ambulance driver—Kimberly Fay Hake, 28, of Cohasset—is suffering from life-threatening injuries, and the driver of the dump truck—Jeffery Elvin Ekholm, 67, of Nashwauk—is also suffering from life-threatening injuries.

The state patrol says the crash location is the same where DNR Conservation Officer Sarah Grell was also killed on May 24 in a crash involving a semi-truck.

Rep. Spencer Igo, R-Grand Rapids, issued the following statement regarding the fatal traffic accident:

"I am shocked and heartbroken to hear the news of this tragic traffic accident in Itasca County on Tuesday," Igo said. "The thoughts and prayers of the entire Northland go out to the friends and family of those involved.”

Igo continued, "It’s clear that safety at this intersection must be improved and I am committed to working with MnDOT and local officials to make sure that significant changes are made in the near future to prevent further accidents at this location."

The county commissioner says its road and bridge division is looking into the intersection.

All individuals involved were wearing seat belts and no alcohol was involved in the incident.