Cottonwood County (trfnews.i234.me) — Five people died, and eight others were hurt in a head-on crash Friday afternoon on Highway 71 in southwest Minnesota.
The Minnesota State Patrol said a 2016 GMC Terrain was going north on Highway 71. A 2019 Ford Transit van was going south. The vehicles collided near 240th Street in Cottonwood County.
Victims Identified
The driver of the SUV, 67-year-old Martin Nickolas Hanson of Springfield, died in the crash.
Four passengers in the van also died. Authorities identified them as 49-year-old Kelly Christine Hargus of Jackson, 73-year-old Kathleen Ann Johnson of Jackson, 73-year-old Richard Warren Johnson of Jackson, and 47-year-old Lindsey Kay Rossow of Lakefield.
The State Patrol said two other van passengers suffered life-threatening injuries. They were identified as 44-year-old Kassandra Lynn Ambrose of Jackson and 54-year-old Eric Charles Rossow of Lakefield.
The van driver, 42-year-old Matthew Arthur Schultz of Lakefield, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Six other passengers also had non-life-threatening injuries.
Crash Remains Under Investigation
Authorities have not yet said what caused the crash. The State Patrol is still investigating how the two vehicles came together on the highway.
According to the state crash report, alcohol was not suspected. The report also said the crash happened shortly before 4:45 p.m.
This was one of the deadliest traffic crashes in Minnesota in recent years. Local coverage said it was the state’s deadliest crash since 2023.
Readers can review the official Minnesota State Patrol incident report and the latest Minnesota crash updates. Additional local coverage is available from KARE 11.
The crash left families across southern Minnesota grieving and searching for answers. More information is expected as the investigation moves forward.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
