1 Killed, 6 Injured In 4 ATV Crashes In Cass County

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – One person was killed and six others were injured in four separate ATV accidents that occurred Saturday of Memorial Day weekend in Cass County.

According to the Cass County Sheriff Tom Burch, the first accident occurred just after 12 p.m. in the Foot Hills State Forest area.

Officers responded to a call of a man pinned under an ATV.

Upon arrival they learned a 57-year-old Kevin Baker from Somerton, Ariz. was traveling on a 2005 Arctic Cat ATV on the trail when he lost control and the vehicle overturned, pinning him underneath.

He was extracted and taken to a Twin Cities hospital via North Memorial AirCare.

The second incident occurred just after 4:30 p.m. also in the Foot Hills State Forest area.

Officers responding said 22-year-old Timothy Czeck from Marshall was driving a 2005 Yamaha ATV on the trail when he lost control and fell off.

He was taken from the scene to a Brainerd-area hospital via ambulance.

Burch reported the third crash occurred just before 6 p.m. in Remer Township.

Responding officers found 56-year-old Randy Puncochar from St. Michael and 54-year-old Kellie Juhl from Clearwater suffered injuries after their 2014 Polaris Sportsman lost control and rolled several times before striking a mailbox.

Both parties were taken to the Deer River Hospital and Juhl was later transported to Duluth for further care.

The final crash, which resulted in a fatality, occurred just before 10:45 p.m. in Loon Lake Township.

According to Burch, officers responded to a call of an ATV accident were three people were ejected from the vehicle.

Upon arrival, officers learned 42-year-old Steve Verville of Pequot Lakes was driving a 2014 Polaris Ranger when it left the roadway and struck a tree.

Verville and two passengers, identified as 51-year-old Kevin Rogers from Breezy Point and 46-year-old Troy Cable from Cross lake, were ejected.

Verville was declared dead on the scene.

The other two men were taken to a Brainerd-area hospital for treatment of their injuries.

All of the incidents are currently still under investigation.