Thief River Falls Driver Cited After Rollover

Pennington County (trfnews.i234.me) — A Thief River Falls driver was cited after a rollover crash in rural Pennington County.

The crash was reported on April 17 at 6:31 p.m.

The sheriff’s office received a report of an accident near 182nd Avenue Northeast and 140th Street Northeast.

Authorities said Ethan Wade Johnson, 27, of Thief River Falls, was driving a 2023 Ford F-150 at the time.

According to the report, the pickup drifted onto the shoulder.

Johnson then overcorrected, and the pickup went into a ditch.

The truck rolled after leaving the roadway.

Passengers Evaluated After Crash

Two passengers were evaluated after the rollover.

They were identified as Shane Defreece II and Hailey Mock.

Both were evaluated at the Sanford Medical Center Emergency Room.

No further medical details were included in the report.

Johnson was cited for reckless driving.

The citation alleges he drove while consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk.

That wording matches the report provided about the crash.

Reckless driving cases in Minnesota are handled under state traffic law.

Readers can review the statute through the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes.

More local court information may be available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch case records system.

Rural roads can be dangerous when a vehicle leaves the driving lane.

Overcorrecting can cause a driver to lose control quickly.

Drivers are urged to slow down and regain control smoothly.

The Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety offers safety information for drivers statewide.

The crash remains listed as a cited traffic matter.

A citation is not a finding of guilt.

Johnson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.

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