State Patrol: 2 Killed, 69 Injured In Crashes During April Blizzard
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- As an April snowstorm pummeled southern Minnesota with more than a foot of snow, hundreds of crashes and spin-outs occurred on state roads, leaving dozens injured and two people dead.
The State Patrol says that from Friday morning to Sunday evening, there were 630 crashes, 1,182 spin-outs and 20 jackknifed semis on Minnesota roads. The collisions left 69 people hurt, with two victims suffering serious injuries.
One crash in Medina on Friday resulted in a fatality. The State Patrol says a Nissan Rogue struck and killed a pedestrian near the intersection of Highway 55 and Pinto Drive. The victim was identified as 54-year-old Paul Piekarski, of Hamel.
Another fatal crash happened Sunday evening in Minneapolis, on eastbound Interstate 94 near Lowry Avenue. The State Patrol says a Prius lost control and was T-boned by a Metro Transit bus. A passenger in the Pruis was killed. The deceased has yet to be identified.
RELATED: School Closings & Delays
In the midst of the weekend snowstorm, highways in southern Minnesota were closed due to blizzard conditions.
Snow accumulations reached more than 20 inches in areas of southwestern Minnesota, and totals in the Twin Cities reached higher than a foot, breaking the record for the largest April snowstorm in the metro.
At Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, hundreds of flights were canceled over the weekend, and the airport closed Saturday for several hours.
Both Minneapolis and St. Paul declared snow emergencies over the weekend, and the school districts in both cities canceled classes for Monday.
