EAST LAKE LILLIAN TOWNSHIP (trfnews.i234.me) — A 33-year-old Cosmos woman died Thursday morning after her SUV collided with a semi-truck in Kandiyohi County.
The fatal crash happened at approximately 2:29 a.m. on October 29, 2026. The collision occurred on Highway 7 near mile marker 118 in East Lake Lillian Township.
The Minnesota State Patrol identified the victim as Brittany Ann Gehrke, 33, of Cosmos, Minnesota.
SUV and Semi Collide on Highway 7
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, Gehrke was driving a 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander westbound on Highway 7.
A 2022 Freightliner semi-truck was traveling eastbound on the same highway. The two vehicles collided near mile marker 118.
Authorities have not released details explaining what led to the collision. The State Patrol confirmed that the roadway was wet when the crash occurred.
Cosmos Woman Dies in Collision
Gehrke suffered fatal injuries in the crash, according to the State Patrol.
Investigators reported that she was not wearing a seat belt when the vehicles collided. The airbags in her Mitsubishi Outlander deployed during the crash.
The report does not say whether the lack of a seat belt contributed to her death.
Semi Driver and Passenger Escape Injury
The Freightliner was driven by Roger Michael Jennings, 41, of Cottonwood, Minnesota.
Jennings was not injured in the collision, according to the crash report. He was wearing his seat belt.
A passenger in the semi, Jose Luis Euceda Trochez, 23, of Willmar, Minnesota, also escaped injury.
Euceda Trochez was wearing his seat belt when the collision happened.
Alcohol was not suspected for any of the three people involved, according to the State Patrol.
Emergency Crews Respond to Fatal Crash
Several emergency agencies responded to the crash scene early Thursday morning.
Responding agencies included the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Lillian Ambulance, and Lake Lillian Fire Department.
Kandiyohi Rescue and CentraCare Ambulance also assisted with the emergency response.
The State Patrol handled the crash investigation through its St. Cloud district.
State Patrol Releases Crash Findings
The Minnesota State Patrol classified the collision as a fatal traffic crash under case number 26603156.
The agency last updated its public report at 1:17 p.m. on October 29, 2026.
Officials marked the information as believed complete. The report did not identify what caused the two vehicles to collide.
Readers can review the Minnesota State Patrol crash updates for official incident information.
Motorists can also check Minnesota 511 for current highway conditions and travel alerts.
The fatal collision claimed the life of one person. The two occupants of the semi-truck were not injured.
I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.
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