A 40-year-old Monticello man was identified by the Minnesota State Patrol as the person killed in Wednesday morning’s accident on Interstate 94.
Kevin Allen Parker was killed when his 2018 Chevy Silverado pickup was struck by a three-axle truck driven by 53-year-old John Robert Houdyshell of St. Louis Park. Houdyshell was not seriously injured in the crash.
Parker is survived by a wife and two children.
Houdyshell’s semi also collided with a Kia Optima driven by Darrin D. Grebinoski, 40, of Otsego. Though he was not seriously hurt, his passenger, 38-year-old Robyn S. Grebinoski, was airlifted from the scene and is hospitalized with what the State Patrol identified as “life-threatening” injuries.
Also struck were: a 2017 GMC Sierra, driven by Bradon William Larkin, 33, St. Cloud; a Chrysler 300 C sedan, driven by 31-year-old Jared Loidolt of Otsego; and a Dodge Ram truck, driven by 30-year-old David Specht, which also was transporting two passengers. All of those individuals were uninjured by the crash.
Wednesday morning’s commute into the Twin Cities turned tragic near Rogers when the truck crossed the median from westbound Interstate 94 onto eastbound 94, striking the vehicles.
Minnesota State Patrol public information officer Tiffani Nelson said I-94 eastbound was closed to all eastbound traffic from about 6:40 a.m. until after 10 a.m. Traffic was snarled in St. Michael, Albertville, Rogers and points around those communities as drivers looked for other ways to commute from the northwest suburbs into the city.
The crash remains under investigation, though Houdyshell has not been charged at this time. Alcohol was not a factor in the crash, and MSP reported Houdyshell did “not fall asleep at the wheel,” stating he lost control of the rig. Nelson said Houdyshell gave an “interesting statement” in his initial report to officers, but she didn’t elaborate at a press conference this afternoon regarding the crash. She said more answers could come from a medical examination conducted Wednesday.