Both directions of Hwy. 41 near the Minnesota River in Chaska were closed for hours as authorities investigated a crash that occurred late Thursday morning, killing a 64-year-old man from Henderson, Minn.

The head-on crash involving the man's PT Cruiser and a dump truck driven by Justin Peabody happened just before 11 a.m. on Hwy. 41 north of Hwy. 169, the State Patrol said.

Peabody, 25, was not injured, the patrol said. The name of the deceased has not yet been released.

Authorities closed northbound Hwy. 41, also known as Chestnut Blvd., at the railroad tracks north of the Hwy. 169-Hwy. 41 intersection. The road was reopened around 2 p.m.

With the key river crossing for southwest metro drivers shut down, motorists who needed to cross the river were forced to use crossings at Hwy. 101 in Shakopee to the north or far to the south at County Road 9 in Jordan.

Chaska Police helped to direct traffic in the area during accident reconstruction, a police spokeswoman said.

Tim Harlow • 612-673-7768