2 die in head-on crash after car crosses median

A 4-year-old girl and a 30-year-old woman were killed on Hwy. 52 Thursday; the State Patrol said neither was properly buckled in.

By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune

Last update: April 18, 2008 - 11:44 PM

A northbound car crossed a highway median in Inver Grove Heights during Thursday afternoon's rush hour, struck a car head-on and killed two of the southbound vehicle's five occupants, the State Patrol said Friday.

Neither of the people killed -- the 30-year-old southbound driver and a 4-year-old girl -- were in proper safety restraint devices, the patrol said. Nor were a critically injured 2-year-old in the same car or the driver and passenger in the northbound car, who were both slightly hurt.

"Car seats are there for a reason," said Sgt. Jennifer Trautner, a patrol investigator, "for the safety of our children. This is yet one more example about how they possibly could've helped."

The collision occurred at "freeway speed" about 5:45 p.m. on four-lane Hwy. 52 at 117th Street, Trautner said.

Authorities have yet to determine why the northbound Pontiac Grand Prix entered oncoming traffic and struck the Saturn sedan, and initial reports indicated that alcohol use was not associated with either driver.

The patrol identified the dead driver as Brittany Carlson of Zumbrota, Minn.

Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul identified the 4-year-old as Tamaya Rose Phillips.

Tamaya's parents, Nicole Phillips and Claude Washington, said in a statement through the hospital: "The family would like to thank those involved with the care of the victims of the crash and ask for the community's continuing prayer and support as the other victims recover."

According to the patrol: In the car with Carlson were Tamaya; the girl's 2-year-old brother, Claude Washington, and two of Carlson's children, Tyler Becker, 9, and Brandon Carlson, 2. Brandon Carlson was first taken to Gillette, where he was listed in critical condition Friday night before being transferred to the University of Minnesota Medical Center for surgery.

The patrol said Carlson was a friend of Tamaya's family, which is from the Twin Cities. Carlson was not wearing a seat belt. Tamaya was in the back, not in a car seat and "doesn't appear" to have been wearing a seat belt, Trautner said. Children ages 4 to 11 must at least be belted in, she said. Carlson's critically hurt 2-year-old son, Brandon, was on a booster seat, a device he is too young for, Trautner said. A lap belt was in use, but it's uncertain whether the shoulder strap was being properly worn, she said.

Suffering non-life-threatening injuries were Tyler Becker, who was wearing a belt in the front seat, and Tamaya's 2-year-old brother, Claude, who was in a car seat in the back. Tyler was in good condition Friday evening at Regions Hospital in St. Paul. Claude was discharged in good health.

Brittany Krueger, 18, of Rosemount, was driving the Grand Prix with passenger Justin Mertz, 22, from the Twin Cities and formerly of Ohio, the patrol said.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482