UPDATE (10:30 a.m., Tuesday, July 22) The Minnesota State Patrol reports the driver of the pickup that collided with a fuel truck Monday was airlifted to North Memorial Hospital, but suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Injured in the accident was Mark McCalmant, 44, Albany, the driver of the pickup. The driver of the semi, a 64-year-old Ontario man, was not hurt.
The report filed by MSP states McCalmant was behind the semi when the two vehicles were under the County 39 bridge, and McCalmant attempted to pass the semi. During that maneuver, McCalmant’s truck clipped the semi, which was traveling at a slow rate of speed. McCalmant attempted to regain control without crashing into the semi, but crashed the truck in the process.
Minnesota State Patrol, Monticello Fire and Rescue and Allina Ambulance also assisted at the scene until McCalmant was airlifted by Air Care.
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At least one person is seriously injured as crews responded to a major accident on Interstate 94 west of Monticello Monday, July 21 shortly after 2:30 p.m.
Traffic was completely stalled on the Wright County Highway 18/75 overpass on the east side of Monticello after a severe accident west of that city.
The accident involved a GMC Sonoma pickup truck and a fuel-hauling semi on the freeway just after the Wright County Highway 39 overpass, near the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant.
Authorities were on scene, including Monticello Fire and the Minnesota State Patrol. Traffic, westbound, was already reduced to one lane and backed up for at least five miles to Wright County Highway 18 on the east side of Monticello. That made things even more complicated through the Interstate 94 construction area in Monticello.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation was advising drivers to take an alternate route westbound, such as Wright County Highway 75, between Monticello and Clearwater, for the remainder of the afternoon rush hour.
NWCToday will have more information on the accident as it becomes available.
