Sheriff: 1 Killed In Polk County (Wis.) Crash

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Wisconsin law enforcement officials are investigating after a deadly crash in Polk County.

According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, a two-vehicle crash was reported Tuesday at 3:53 p.m. on US Highway 8, about a half-mile east of Rolling Oaks Drive.

There, authorities say the driver of a Pontiac minivan was traveling at a high rate of speed eastbound on the highway and passed several vehicles before running into a Chevy truck that was towing a trailer. The collision sent both vehicles to the left over the westbound lane of travel and into the north ditch. Upon entering the ditch, the minivan tripped and rolled onto the passenger side.

Good Samaritans stopped and aided the minivan driver by pulling him from the overturned vehicle and attempting life-saving measures until emergency responders arrived. A medical helicopter was called and did land at the scene, but the victim died of his injuries. He is identified as 64-year-old John Thomas Bibeau of Balsam Lake, Wisconsin.

The occupants of the truck, identified as 25-year-old Michael Malean and 27-year-old Eric Stuart, suffered minor injuries and did not need an ambulance.

The sheriff's office says contributing factors of the crash are believed to be speed and possible pre-existing medical conditions.