Crash kills Bloomington worker in truck on snow-removal duty

A Bloomington municipal employee on snow-removal duty has died after his truck was hit by an SUV, city officials said Monday.

Tyler Lenort, 38, of Lakeville, a passenger in the city truck, died from his injuries. He had worked with the city for 15 years, officials said. The truck's driver, Daryl Bittmann, 56, of Minneapolis, survived and was in satisfactory condition Monday at Hennepin County Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The wreck occurred about 10:20 a.m. Thursday in the 400 block of E. American Boulevard, according to police.

The truck was pulled over in the eastbound lanes assisting with snow removal, police said. The truck carried a large, lighted arrow directing traffic to move over a lane, said Bloomington Police Chief Jeff Potts.

Lenort and Bittmann were in the truck, which was stopped, when the eastbound SUV struck it.

"It should have been very obvious to see the truck," Potts said Monday. The SUV pushed the truck about 30 to 40 feet, he said.

Potts said he believes excessive speed and alcohol were contributing factors to the crash. Witnesses said the SUV went through at least one red light before the crash, he said.

The SUV's driver, whose identity hasn't been released, was also taken to Hennepin County Medical Center. There was no word on the condition of the SUV driver.

"We understand public safety employees are exposed to hazards," City Manager Jamie Verbrugge said. "There are other employees on the field who also encounter hazardous situations."

The stretch of American Boulevard where Thursday's crash occurred has multiple lanes in each direction.

In a similar but less deadly incident Monday morning, a Minnesota Department of Transportation plow truck was hit by a van while both vehicles were heading west in the fog on Interstate 94 west of Monticello, according to the State Patrol.

The van's driver, 55-year-old Paul A. Boynton, of Shorewood, was hospitalized with serious injuries. The truck's driver, 47-year-old Brad W. Vance, of Buffalo, Minn, escaped injury,