A 59-year-old woman from Mankato died Wednesday night after a wrong-way crash on Hwy. 22 south of Mankato.

Wendy S. Pearson was driving a Toyota sedan southbound in the highway's northbound lane about 5:30 p.m. when she crashed into a sport utility vehicle headed north, according to the State Patrol.

Pearson, who was wearing a seat belt, was taken to St. Marys Hospital in Rochester but died from her injuries. Indications are that she had been drinking, the patrol said.

The other driver, Lynnette M. Engeswick, 64, also of Mankato, was taken to Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato with life-threatening injuries, the State Patrol said. A passenger in her Ford Escape, Jay Engeswick, 64, of Mankato, was not injured. Both were wearing seat belts and no alcohol was detected on them, the patrol said.

staff report