Five vehicles involved in collision at Minnesota State Highway 60/Cottonwood County Road 8
Area emergency personnel responded to a five-vehicle crash at 5:36 p.m. on Thanksgiving Eve (Wednesday, November 23) at the intersection of Minnesota State Highway 60 and Cottonwood County Road 8.
According to a report posted by the Minnesota State Patrol, 1990 Chevy Silverado pickup, driven by 86-year-old Harlan H. Franz of Mountain Lake, was northbound on Cottonwood County Road 8, entered eastbound Highway 60 when it was struck broadside by a Mazda 3, driven by Tino D. Vetsouvanh, 32, also of Mountain Lake. A 2001 Chevy K1500 Silverado pickup, with driver Laura J. Sandmeyer, 48 of Windom; a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, driven by Raymond J. Otto, 64, of South Sioux City Nebraska and a 2004 Chevy Silverado, driven by 46-year-old Bryan K. Thornton of Madeira, Nebraska, were following the Mazda. The ’01 Silverado and the Chevy Malibu braked for the crash, but the ’04 Chevy pickup failed to brake in time, rear-ending the Malibu and proceeding to sideswipe the ’01 Chevy pickup. The accident occurred east of Mountain Lake, near the New Vision Co-op Grain Elevator.
The drivers of the ’90 Chevy pickup, the Mazda 3 and the ’01 Chevy Silverado were transported to Windom Area Hospital. Franz, the driver of the ’90 Chevy pickup was later airlifted to Sanford Medical in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, serious injuries. The driver of the Mazda 3, Vetsouvanh, remains in Windom Area Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Sandmeyer, the driver of the ’01 Chevy Silverado, along with a 14-year-old male passenger of unknown city and a seven-year-old male passenger of Windom, were all also transported to Windom Area Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The drivers of the Malibu and ’04 Chevy pickup received no apparent injuries.
All five vehicles involved received severe damage.
Assisting the Minnesota State Patrol were the Cottonwood County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Lake Fire Department, Mountain Lake Ambulance Squad and Mountain Lake Police Department.
