The fatal collision happened October 16, 2026, around 6:20 a.m., just north of Cody Street in Duluth.<\/p>\n
The Minnesota State Patrol identified the deceased driver as Michael James Sauer, 74, of Duluth.<\/p>\n
Joseph David Hartman, 35, also of Duluth, suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital.<\/p>\n
Wrong-Way Pickup Collides With SUV<\/h2>\n
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, Sauer was driving a 2016 Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck.<\/p>\n
The pickup was traveling north in the southbound lanes of Interstate 35.<\/p>\n
At the same time, Hartman was driving a 2021 Mazda CX-5 southbound along the interstate.<\/p>\n
The vehicles collided north of Cody Street, near the Thompson Hill area.<\/p>\n
Investigators confirmed that the Chevrolet was traveling against the normal direction of traffic when the crash occurred.<\/p>\n
Both vehicles had their airbags deploy during the collision.<\/p>\n
Pickup Driver Dies in Crash<\/h2>\n
Michael James Sauer suffered fatal injuries in the crash.<\/p>\n
The State Patrol reported that Sauer was not wearing a seat belt when the vehicles collided.<\/p>\n
No medical facility was listed for Sauer in the official crash report.<\/p>\n
Authorities have not publicly established why the pickup entered the wrong side of Interstate 35.<\/p>\n
The investigation did not identify alcohol as a suspected factor.<\/p>\n
Second Driver Suffers Life-Threatening Injuries<\/h2>\n
Joseph David Hartman was driving the Mazda CX-5 when the wrong-way pickup struck his vehicle.<\/p>\n
According to investigators, Hartman was wearing his seat belt during the crash.<\/p>\n
He suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to Essentia Health St. Mary’s in Duluth.<\/p>\n
The initial State Patrol report did not provide further details about his medical condition.<\/p>\n
His condition following the initial hospital transport has not been confirmed in the supplied report.<\/p>\n
Wet Road Conditions Reported<\/h2>\n
The State Patrol reported that Interstate 35 was wet when the collision occurred.<\/p>\n
However, investigators have not identified wet pavement as the cause of the crash.<\/p>\n
Duluth police and fire personnel assisted with the emergency response.<\/p>\n
The collision caused traffic delays as emergency crews responded and authorities investigated the scene.<\/p>\n
Officials have not released a confirmed explanation for the wrong-way travel.<\/p>\n
Minnesota State Patrol Investigation<\/h2>\n
The fatal crash was documented under Minnesota State Patrol incident number 26272181.<\/p>\n
The report was handled by the Duluth district and was last updated October 16 at 9:39 a.m.<\/p>\n
Readers can search the official report through the Minnesota State Patrol Crash Updates<\/a> website.<\/p>\n Additional reporting is available from Northern News Now<\/a>.<\/p>\n The cause of the wrong-way crash remains unclear based on the available reports.<\/p>\n I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n
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