State Patrol reports 3 fatalities in 2 crashes

Last update: July 3, 2009 - 11:47 PM

Two people died in an Olmsted County car crash and a third was killed while riding a motorcycle in southeastern Minnesota on Thursday.

Steven Friese, of Minnesota City, was driving west on Hwy. 14 about 3:30 p.m. when a car heading north on County Road 7 collided with his van. Friese, 60, was killed, along with one of his passengers, 67-year-old Fay Friese, of Arcadia, Wis., according to the State Patrol.

The driver of the car, Jason Benton, 29, of Plainview, Minn., and two other passengers in the van had injuries that were not life-threatening.

In Fillmore County, 50-year-old Brian Wutschke, of Kasson, Minn., died when his motorcycle left Hwy. 52 on a curve about 7 p.m., the State Patrol reported.

SARAH LEMAGIE

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