No seat belts for driver killed, passenger hurt in western Minn. crash

Last update: May 20, 2009 - 12:09 AM

Neither the motorist who was killed nor her passenger, who was severely injured in a collision over the weekend in western Minnesota, were wearing their seat belts, authorities said.

The driver who died has been identified as Gloria Kahler, 57, of Apple Valley. The passenger, Jose Carrionn, 45, of Apple Valley, was taken to North Memorial Medical Center in critical condition with head, neck and internal injuries, the State Patrol said.

Kahler's pickup truck ran a stop sign Sunday afternoon and crashed into a second pickup at an intersection north of Watson, Minn., in Chippewa County, the patrol said.

The two people in the truck that was hit suffered noncritical injuries. Both were wearing seat belts, the patrol said.

The next day in St. Paul, each body of the Legislature passed a bill that would allow police to pull over drivers if they or their passengers are not wearing seat belts.

Currently, officers must see another traffic offense before they can stop a motorist and ticket someone for not being buckled up.

PAUL WALSH