One person was seriously injured in a three-vehicle traffic crash Tuesday morning between Buffalo and Monticello.
The State Patrol reports that shortly before 8 AM, a dump truck, a Dodge mini-van and a school bus were all northbound on State Highway 25 when the vehicles collided near the intersection with Wright County Road 37 in Monticello Township.
Authorities say the dump truck was in the lead, followed by the mini-van, which was followed by the school bus.
The circumstances of what lead to the crash are not yet known, though it is known that the mini-van was essentially sandwiched between the dump truck and the school bus.
The driver of the mini-van, 44-year-old Randolph Torkkola of Becker, was reportedly extricated from his vehicle, and was airlifted to North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale. While his injuries are believed to be serious, the State Patrol reports that the injuries were non-life threatening.
The driver of the dump truck, 35-year-old Kevin Batten of Becker, and the driver of the school bus, 69-year-old Barry Jenneke of Big Lake, were not injured.
There was no report from the State Patrol of any other passengers aboard the bus at the time of the crash.
The Wright County Sheriff’s Office, Monticello Fire Department, and North Memorial Air Ambulance assisted at the scene. The incident is still under investigation.
