3 Killed In Northern Minnesota Crash

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Three people are dead after a crash in northern Minnesota, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

The crash took place in Cass County around 11 p.m. on Thursday near Highway 371 and 16th Street Northwest.

Authorities say that a GMC Yukon was going north on the highway and a Chevy Uplander was traveling east on 16th Street Northwest, when it failed to stop and t-boned the Yukon.

Both cars left the road and entered a nearby ditch.

The driver of the Chevy died, and the driver and one passenger of the Yukon also died.

The driver of the Chevy was identified as Lenny Steffen, a 34-year-old man from Backus. Jeffrey Wertish, 55, was driving the Yukon and his passenger Robert Nelson, 59, also died.

Neither driver was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.