State Patrol: More than 120 crashes reported as storm system moves through the state

Krystal Frasier
The Minnesota State Patrol says there were more than 120 crashes reported on roads and highways across the state from 6 a.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m Thursday. [courtesy of the Minnesota State Patrol/Twitter]

The Minnesota State Patrol says there were more than 120 crashes reported on roads and highways across the state from 6 a.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m Thursday.

As previously reported by KSTP, that figure involved multiple crashes between 490th Street near Pine Island and 480th Street near Zumbrota Wednesday morning. Those crashes caused a closure of northbound Highway 52, and a detour to be established.

According to Sgt. Jesse Grabow, troopers responded to a total of 121 crashes during that timeframe, and there were another 49 reports of vehicles going off the road, spin-outs and jackknifed semis. Sgt. Grabow adds out of the crashes, one was fatal, and 27 involved injuries.

In the west-central and northwest region, the agency said there were five crashes between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m. Thursday. No one was reported injured in those crashes. There were also 23 vehicles that needed to be helped by troopers or a towing agency in the region.

Authorities say there were 12 crashes in the St. Cloud region from 10 p.m. Wednesday to 10 a.m. Thursday, as well as 10 vehicles that went off the road and required assistance.

In addition, a semi hauling turkeys tipped over while stopped due to high wind speeds on Highway 12 in Kandiyohi County. Wind speeds of nearly 80 mph were reported in Redwood Falls, according to the National Weather Service.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation issued a no-travel advisory in a dozen counties—including Kandiyohi—on Wednesday. That advisory was lifted early Thursday morning.