Minnesota State Trooper Injured Following Vehicle Crash In Northern Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Minnesota State Trooper is recovering following a vehicle crash in Fort Ripley Township early Tuesday morning.

The Minnesota State Patrol received a 911 call just after 7:10 a.m. of a crash at the intersection of Highway 371 and County Road 2. The crash involved a state patrol squad car and a Ford F-150 and occurred in the northbound lanes of the intersection.

Authorities say both cars had significant damage as a result of the crash. The trooper involved in the crash was extricated from the squad car and airlifted to North Memorial Medical Center with serious, but non-life threatening injuries.

The driver of the F-150, 38-year-old Jeffrey Fink of Little Falls, sustained non-life threatening injuries.

Officials say trooper Gregg Gerhartz -- who was not responding to an emergency call -- did not have his emergency lights or siren activated at the time of the crash.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.