Two people were killed in crashes in outstate Minnesota on Friday, one of which involved two motorcycles, according to the State Patrol.
Frank J. Westerlund, 55, of Grand Rapids, Minn., died when his motorcycle rear-ended another motorcycle on Hwy. 210 northeast of Brainerd, in Crow Wing County. The two Harley-Davidsons were headed east on the highway about 7:30 p.m. when the front motorcycle suddenly braked, causing the one behind to crash into it.
Steven J. True, 63, also of Grand Rapids, the driver of the front motorcycle, was injured. Both men had been drinking, and neither was wearing a helmet, the patrol said.
Earlier in the day, a man was killed when the minivan in which he was a passenger was hit by a semitrailer truck headed south on Hwy. 4 in Meeker County. The minivan was headed west on County Road 16 about 5 p.m. when its driver, Blake L. Ahlbrecht, 60, of Grove City, Minn., failed to stop at a stop sign at the highway intersection, according to the State Patrol.
Passenger Steven Delmer Schmidt, 57, of Atwater, Minn., was killed. He was not wearing a seat belt, the patrol said.
Ahlbrecht had alcohol in his system, according to troopers. He and another passenger, Elgene W. Mahn, 64, of Atwater, were not injured.
Miguel Otárola • 612-673-4753
