3 Mounds View H.S. Students In Car Crash; 2 Dead, 1 Injured

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – An early morning accident has claimed the lives of two Mounds View High School students and left another fighting for their life.

The crash happened around 7 a.m. Thursday at County Road 96 and Highway 10, just two miles from the school.

Investigators believe the vehicle driven by the students was attempting to make a left turn onto old Highway 10 when it was t-boned by a vehicle traveling eastbound on that road.

"They were just coming to school like they do every day," Mounds View High School principal Dr. Jeffery Ridlehoover said.

Ridlehoover fought back tears as he talked about the loss of two members of his school family.

"Kids aren't supposed to die and get hurt," he said.

Ridlehoover says he and his staff knew early this morning that it was students, juniors, who were involved in the crash.

"We had a parent who was driving their child into school, called in," he said. "So we found out about it very early but we didn't know the extent or who was involved initially. We quickly came to understand that it was Mounds View High School students."

According to the Ramsey County Sheriff's office, the vehicle was less than two miles from their destination.

"The black vehicle was eastbound on [County Road] 96, and that silver vehicle was westbound on [County Road] 96 making a left hand turn onto old Highway 10," John Eastham of the Ramsey County Sheriff's office said.

Three students were in the silver vehicle -- two did not survive.

"We did have a student share with one of our faculty members -- they talked to the girls this morning as they were getting ready to go on their way, and they were happy and laughing and ready to come to school," Ridlehoover said.

Students were holding each other up as news spread on campus. Staff allowed students to grieve in their own way. There were those who went home with parents, some stayed inside and spoke to counselors, while others walked around trying to make sense of this tragedy.

"Two of them are already greatly missed, and we have great concern for the third who is currently hospitalized," Ridlehoover said.

Later in the evening, the parking lot outside the school was packed as people arrived for a chance to seek counseling, companionship and even just a shoulder to cry on.

"They're all hurting and it's necessary to be here," said parent Kirk Possehl. "But there's also a feeling of togetherness in there. I think there's a lot of hope in there."

He said he has two children who were classmates and friends of the victims.

"Lot of tears, a lot of pain. For a lot of these kids this is the first time they've ever had to go through something like this, and as a parent it was my first time to have to bring my children through this," he said. "It's a tough day."

The days ahead will not be easy for the Mounds View families. Walking the halls might not feel the same, but parents like Possehl have faith they will get through this together.

"I really truly hope that this community comes together and embraces these kids with love and compassion," he said.

MnDOT recently reconstructed the accident site. County Road 96 and Old Highway 10 used to have a physical intersection.

MnDOT sunk County Road 96 and had Old Highway 10 go over it. They say that led to a decrease in serious accidents since it was completed.