Duluth Wrong-Way I-35 Crash Kills 74-Year-Old Driver

DULUTH, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – A wrong-way crash on Interstate 35 killed one Duluth man and left another with life-threatening injuries Friday morning.

The fatal collision happened October 16, 2026, around 6:20 a.m., just north of Cody Street in Duluth.

The Minnesota State Patrol identified the deceased driver as Michael James Sauer, 74, of Duluth.

Joseph David Hartman, 35, also of Duluth, suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital.

Wrong-Way Pickup Collides With SUV

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, Sauer was driving a 2016 Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck.

The pickup was traveling north in the southbound lanes of Interstate 35.

At the same time, Hartman was driving a 2021 Mazda CX-5 southbound along the interstate.

The vehicles collided north of Cody Street, near the Thompson Hill area.

Investigators confirmed that the Chevrolet was traveling against the normal direction of traffic when the crash occurred.

Both vehicles had their airbags deploy during the collision.

Pickup Driver Dies in Crash

Michael James Sauer suffered fatal injuries in the crash.

The State Patrol reported that Sauer was not wearing a seat belt when the vehicles collided.

No medical facility was listed for Sauer in the official crash report.

Authorities have not publicly established why the pickup entered the wrong side of Interstate 35.

The investigation did not identify alcohol as a suspected factor.

Second Driver Suffers Life-Threatening Injuries

Joseph David Hartman was driving the Mazda CX-5 when the wrong-way pickup struck his vehicle.

According to investigators, Hartman was wearing his seat belt during the crash.

He suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to Essentia Health St. Mary’s in Duluth.

The initial State Patrol report did not provide further details about his medical condition.

His condition following the initial hospital transport has not been confirmed in the supplied report.

Wet Road Conditions Reported

The State Patrol reported that Interstate 35 was wet when the collision occurred.

However, investigators have not identified wet pavement as the cause of the crash.

Duluth police and fire personnel assisted with the emergency response.

The collision caused traffic delays as emergency crews responded and authorities investigated the scene.

Officials have not released a confirmed explanation for the wrong-way travel.

Minnesota State Patrol Investigation

The fatal crash was documented under Minnesota State Patrol incident number 26272181.

The report was handled by the Duluth district and was last updated October 16 at 9:39 a.m.

Readers can search the official report through the Minnesota State Patrol Crash Updates website.

Additional reporting is available from Northern News Now.

The cause of the wrong-way crash remains unclear based on the available reports.

I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.