Photo: Minnesota State Patrol
The Minnesota State Patrol is warning motorists using Hwy. 169 in Jordan to be on the lookout for deer, especially during the early morning and late evening hours. That's because they'll be feeding on corn lying on the side of the highway and in ditches.
A truck hauling bushels and bushels of corn overturned just after 8 a.m. at Delaware Avenue in St. Lawrence Township of Scott County - that's just south of Jordan - and spilled its load. The highway in both direction was closed for several hours. By early afternoon, lanes were back open but crews were still on the scene cleaning up.
The crash was not the fault of the truck driver, the State Patrol said.
A pickup truck driver heading south made a U-Turn in front of a Kenworth semitrailer truck hauling the corn. That caused the northbound truck to swerve and flip over, spilling its load all over the northbound lanes. The truck came to rest in the center median.
The truck driver identified as Grant Martin Annexstad, 61, of St. Peter, Minn., was wearing a seat belt and not seriously hurt.
As for the pickup driver, Justin Peter Kubiczki, 32, of Elko, Minn., he was cited for fail to use due care, Lt. Tiffani Nielson, a State Patrol spokeswoman.
With all that corn no the side of the road, the patrol advised motorists that "that this may cause excessive wildlife traffic to[be in] the area."
