According to the State Patrol, a Ford truck being driven by 21-year-old Daniel Johnson stopped in the wrong lane along Highway 2 west of Fisher, Minn.

The State Patrol reported foggy conditions on the highway, with very limited visibility.

At about 2 a.m., the vehicle was struck by a Plymouth sedan traveling in the opposite direction. The driver of the second vehicle was killed.

The State Patrol identified the victim as 39-year-old Darcey Jablonski, of Crookston.

Authorities said slick conditions and poor visibility led to a number of crashes overnight.

According to the State Patrol, the crash happened along Highway 63 at about 8:30 p.m.

A Honda Civic was on the shoulder of the road with its flashers on, waiting to turn into a farm road. Officers said the semi truck slowed upon approaching the other vehicle.

According to the State Patrol, the driver of the Civic — 25-year-old William Schmoll, of Spring Valley, Minn. — made a left turn across the lanes and ended up driving into the path of the semi.

Schmoll was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the semi truck — 58-year-old Ronald Houle, of Kensington, Minn. — was not injured in the crash.

OAKDALE, Minn. (WCCO) – A fatal crash involving a pedestrian has closed Highway 120 in Oakdale, Minn. Thursday morning.

Minnesota Department of Transportation cameras showed crews closing off the intersection at about 7 a.m. Highway 120 was closed in both directions between Hudson Road and Innovation Road.

Accident investigators say that 47-year-old Stephen Tague, of St. Paul, was killed trying to cross Highway 120 just before 7 a.m.

A witness told officers that the driver of the vehicle had a green light.

Officers said it doesn’t appear anyone was under the influence.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – It’s almost as if the snow is directly targeting heavy commute times lately. Once again, a morning rush hour was brought to a crawl due to fresh snow.

The freezing rain from Sunday transitioned to snow overnight, which made for a dicey rush hour.

The Minnesota State Patrol reported nearly 100 crashes statewide between 5 and 9:30 a.m. Monday, with 15 of those involving injuries.

Of those 100, about half were reported within the Twin Cities metro area.

None of the reported injuries were serious, according to the State Patrol.

There were 140 reported vehicles off the road or spinouts across the state; 53 of those were in the Twin Cities.

WCCO Meteorologist Mike Augustyniak said snowfall should remain steady through the morning and won’t wrap up in the Twin Cities until close to noon.

The snow may end a little later in the afternoon for the towns further east and in Wisconsin.

MnDOT plows are out treating streets and they remind drivers to keep their distance as they are working. State troopers said to be extra cautious on bridges and ramps because those tend to be the slickest spots.

There were three teenagers among the 10 deaths reported for 2012 so far.

“These crash victims are reasons every Minnesotan must remind loved ones to buckle up,” said State Patrol Lt. Eric Roeske.

The department also pointed out that, of the 23 motorists killed in December, only five were wearing seat belts.

It is against the law to be inside a moving vehicle without wearing a seat belt.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Commuters in the Twin Cities were once again familiarized with the art of driving on freshly fallen snow, as a few light flakes coated parts of the metro area.

Tuesday morning’s commute was a little slower than usual for many, as slick conditions brought motorists down to a crawl in some spots.

Minnesota Department of Transportation traffic cameras showed a number of crashes in spots. WCCO traffic reporter Natalie Kane said she saw at least three crashes on the Interstate 94 curve going into the Lowry Hill Tunnel alone.

Entrance and exit ramps, as well as shoulders and bridge decks were all affected by the overnight snow cover. However, the State Patrol was reporting no major injury accidents early Tuesday morning.

The snow had mostly trailed off in the Twin Cities by mid-morning, but there may be more snow coming later this week, according to WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak.

Another storm system should move in on Wednesday. Snow is expected to fall more heavily in the northern part of the state, but a line may move in bringing another coating during the Wednesday afternoon and evening commute.

The system is not expected to bring much in the way of shovelable snow, but the timing should make for another trying commute.

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WCCO) – The Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office says a group of teens were “hill jumping” in their car prior to a crash that killed three of them last month.

The Dec. 20 crash killed 13-year-old McKenna Johnson, 14-year-old Austin Gable and 15-year-old Marco Perez. There were also two other teenagers in the car — 13-year-old Ulises Ponce and 16-year-old Felicia Bertrang.

Johnson was two months pregnant at the time of the crash.

“When you know they’re underage juveniles, that they’ve got the rest of their lives in front of them, it stopped that night for them because of some poor decisions,” said Eau Claire Sheriff Ron Cramer.

Authorities said the teens were trying to launch their car in the air for a thrill before the crash.

The sheriff’s office said the car was traveling at speeds over 80 miles per hour before it went airborne and crashed, coming to rest about 400 feet away at the bottom of a steep hill near the 6500 block of Walnut Road.

The car belonged to Bertrang. She gave Gable permission to drive the vehicle, and Eau Claire County authorities say she had a reputation of letting minors drive the car recklessly.

Gable’s family hopes that parents will use their loss as a lesson to control underage, and reckless driving.

“I don’t want other families to go through this,” said Gable’s grandfather Jerry Carpenter. “It’s just a minute existence, that’s all we’re doing is existing, and I don’t want any other family to go through this.”

This case has been forwarded to the district attorney’s office for possible charges against Bertrang. But Gable’s family says what they really want is an apology, and for her to admit what happened.

Toxicology results haven’t come back yet on Gable, but Eau Claire County authorities don’t have any reason to believe drugs were involved.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the crash happened Thursday afternoon.

A Toyota Yaris being driven by 31-year-old Marissa Drew of Waukesha, Wis. lost control traveling westbound on Interstate 94 over the Chippewa River. The vehicle then traveled through the median and was struck by an eastbound semi truck.

Upon collision, the semi overturned and struck the guardrail and bridge, coming to a rest blocking both lanes of traffic.

Drew was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck, 54-year-old Eugene Marier, was taken to Mayo Clinic on Eau Claire, Wis. with non-life threatening injuries.

(credit: CBS)

OSSEO, Minn. (WCCO) – Eastbound lanes of Interstate 694 in the west metro were shut down because of a crash early Thursday morning.

The semi truck rolled over on the Interstate near Highway 169.

The driver did not appear to have any injuries.

Eastbound lanes of 694 were shut down for crews the clear the mess. As of 6:30 a.m., some of those lanes have reopened, but traffic remained slow in the area.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Once again, it’s time to pack up the car and head over the river and through the woods. But will the river and woods be free from snow and ice?

Meteorologist Matt Brickman says that, though there are some snow flurries and a lot of wind around the state this Friday, accumulations should hold below 1 inch total.

Christmas Eve should be pretty clear and warmer than average.

Winds should pick up again on Christmas day going into next week, but no snow is expected to make the trip home through the woods and over the river.

Watch Brickman’s full forecast above, and check the WCCO Weather page for all the latest conditions.

The State Patrol said the collision occurred near I-35E and Tart Lake Road shortly after 6 p.m.

Forty-six-year-old Tushar Gupta was standing behind a stalled vehicle, when he “for an unknown reason” jumped in front of the first vehicle, the Patrol said.

A second vehicle behind the first also struck Gupta, who was already down in the roadway.

Gupta was pronounced dead at the scene. Neither of the drivers were injured.

Southbound I-35E was closed for a while, but has been reopened.

According to Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, Wis., 16-year-old Felicia Bertrang has been upgraded to fair condition Thursday morning.

She had been in critical following the single-car accident that killed driver 14-year-old Austin Gable as well as passengers 13-year-old Makena Johnson and 15-year-old Marco Perez.

Thirteen-year-old Ulises Ponce was also injured in the crash. His current condition was not reported.

The State Patrol said the crash happened near Eau Claire around 7 p.m. Tuesday after a car was seen speeding in Washington Township.

The vehicle crashed, rolled over and ended up at the bottom of a steep hill near the 6500 block of Walnut Road. All involved were reportedly students in the Eleva-Strum School District.

The county sheriff’s office is still investigating, and a reconstruction team is working to determine the cause of the crash.

The sheriff said speed was a contributing factor, and toxicology tests will be conducted on the driver. Alcohol is not suspected in the crash, but investigators are looking into a Facebook post that suggests at least one of the passengers had been smoking marijuana.

Counselors are at the school to help classmates grieve.

The crash happened along Highway 65 near 143rd Avenue Northeast just before 8 a.m. The bus was stopped on 143rd and attempting to cross the highway when it was struck.

According to the State Patrol, the 23-year-old driver of the vehicle, which was driving northbound on Highway 65, fell asleep while on the road. The car veered into the ditch.

When the car approached 143rd, where the bus was waiting to cross, it hit an embankment and went airborne over the hood of the bus and into the ditch on the other side, the State Patrol said.

The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office said the vehicle involved in the crash landed on its roof.

One minor injury was reported, though no one had yet been transported from the scene.

The Anoka-Hennepin School District said there were four people aboard the bus at the time of the crash — two students, the driver and a para-educator.

None of the people aboard the bus sustained any injury. A second bus was sent to the scene to transport the students to Roosevelt Middle School.

According to the State Patrol, the driver of the car was on the scene, speaking with authorities. There were no immediate signs of impairment.

Both drivers told the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office they were “shook up” by the incident.

ST. PAUL (WCCO) – MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A suspected drunk driver killed a 21-year-old man involved in a car accident and hit a Good Samaritan who stopped to help him on Interstate 94 Sunday night, authorities said.

The incident involved two crashes.

The State Patrol said that the initial crash happened around 11 p.m., when a pickup truck driven by Marcus Andary merged onto westbound Interstate 94 and ran into another car on the highway, causing that car to lose control and roll, partially blocking the left lane of the road.

Andary and a witness, 37-year-old Keith Barnes of Minneapolis, went to help the rolled-over car’s driver, 22-year-old Alicia Kaufenberg of St. Paul. Almost immediately after, the second crash happened: An alleged drunk driver crashed his van into Kaufenberg’s car, hitting both Andary and Barnes.

Andary, an Iowa State student, died instantly. Barnes and Kaufenberg are both in critical condition.

The driver of the van, 62-year-old Eugene Farrell of Minneapolis, was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. He has been booked at Ramsey County Jail, according to the State Patrol.

Farrell has one previous careless driving conviction on his record from May 2005 in Dakota County.

Lt. Eric Roeske of the State Patrol said Sunday’s tragedy is an example of why the patrol urges people not to get out of their cars and help victims.

“Obviously when something like this happens, it’s a person’s natural reaction to help,” he said. “But it’s a very dangerous situation, and anyone who tries to help and is out on the freeway in these conditions really needs to exercise extreme cautions.”

The State Patrol is still investigating the incident.

Remembering Andary

Andary was a high school hockey standout in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., where he graduated in 2008. Andary went on to play hockey at Iowa State. His friends and former teammates are currently mourning his death.

Brian Rooney, Iowa State’s hockey team captain, said he wasn’t surprised to hear Andary tried to help Kaufenberg.

“The guy would give you the shirt off his back,” Rooney said.

The crash happened near St. Augusta, Minn. along County Road 142 at about 5 a.m. Tuesday.

According to the sheriff’s office, rescue workers responding to the scene tried to revive the driver, who has been identified as 52-year-old Joseph Salzbrun of Kimball, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities said Salzbrun was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The sheriff’s office said that there was some fog in the area at the time of the crash, and that slippery roads may have also been a factor.

The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the crash.

As of 9 a.m., there had been seven crashes in Stearns County.

According to the patrol, the crash happened along Highway 19.

A 2000 Honda Accord that was headed eastbound on the highway struck a horse at about 4 a.m.

The patrol said there was an injury. The status of the horse was not immediately available.

According to State Patrol Lt. Eric Roeske, several vehicles were involved in the crash, including a boom truck.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation said that the accident affected traffic in both directions, but by 9:30 a.m., the bridge had reopened.

It’s unknown if there were any injuries in the crash, Roeske said.

The bridge reopened at around 9:30 a.m.

The crash happened just after 8 p.m. along Vadnais Boulevard and Rice Street.

According to authorities, the man, later identified as Michael A. Lange, of Vadnais Heights, became stuck in the vehicle and needed assistance getting out.

Deputy Todd Kramer, a member of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office water patrol unit, responded to the scene and quickly got into a wet suit. Kramer was able to open the driver’s door, felt a man inside in the driver’s seat, cut the seat belt and pulled the driver from the vehicle.

The Vadnais Heights Fire Department arrived on scene to help Kramer pull the man to safety.

First responders were able to restore a heartbeat from Lange and he was loaded into an ambulance for treatment.

Lange was then transported to Regions Hospital, where he died around 9:21 p.m.

The Minnesota State Patrol and the Ramsey County Medical Examiner continue to investigate the crash.

According to the patrol, 93-year-old Beulahm Hendricks and 86-year-old Mary Isakson, both of Walker, were killed in the crash.

The crash happened about three miles south of Walker along Highway 371 just before 6 p.m. Monday.

Hendricks’ Buick LeSabre was broadsided by an SUV carrying a couple and three children.

Authorities said Hendricks blew through a stop sign before the collision.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the crash happened about three miles south of Walker along Highway 371 just before 6 p.m.

A vehicle being driven by an unidentified 93-year-old person blew through a stop sign at Highway 371 and broadsided a vehicle traveling southbound on the highway. That vehicle was carrying a family from Walker.

The 93-year-old driver was listed in critical condition. Another person was killed, but that person was not identified.

Crews will be installing overhead signs as part of the I-35W MnPASS Extension project on I-35W between Highway 13 and the I-35E/I-35W split.

The closures start at 11 p.m. on Thursday Nov. 17 and will go until 5 a.m. on Friday Nov. 18. During that time, southbound I-35W will be reduced by a single lane and northbound traffic will be reduced by two lanes.

Northbound I-35W in that area will completely close for 15 minutes between 1 a.m. and 1:15 a.m. while they install one of the overhead signs.

For more information on the project, click here.

The crash happened at about 5:30 a.m. Thursday. A truck crashed into a ditch along Interstate 35 in Lakeville. The crash was just south of the 210th Street exit, between exits 76 and 81.

The truck was reportedly hauling about 30,000 pounds of frozen food. Much of the food ended up in the ditch.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation and police officers waited until rush hour was over to close the stretch to clean up the mess.

The crash happened near the intersection with County Road 9 at about 7 a.m. Tuesday.

The Minnesota State Patrol reports that a 1998 GMC Sonoma was traveling eastbound along the county road and crossing Highway 52. The Sonoma was then involved in a broadside crash with a 2002 Volkswagen Golf.

One of the two drivers was killed in the crash. The condition of the other was not reported.

The intersection of Highway 52 and County Road 9 is where crews installed new high-tech signs that use video cameras and sensors to detect traffic, and then pass the information to lighted signs.

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (WCCO) – One person was airlifted and two others were taken by ambulance from a crash in Brooklyn Park, Minn. during the Thursday morning rush hour.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says the crash happened near 77th Avenue West and Highway 169.

Authorities said a pickup truck ran off the right side of the road and struck a light pole, then careening into the concrete base of a highway road sign.

At about 8:30 a.m., a medical helicopter arrived at the scene to airlift the driver of the vehicle. That person was reported in serious condition at North Memorial Medical Center.

Two other passengers in the truck were taken by ambulance to North Memorial. Their conditions were not reported.

Crews shut down northbound Highway 169 for a short period of time while the helicopter landed on the highway.