**UPDATE** This story has been updated with the names of the victims. The update can be found here.
POLK COUNTY - A multi-vehicle crash Thursday night in Polk County resulted in multiple fatalities, according to a press release from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Press Release
On Thursday July 2nd 2020 at 2331hours, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center began receiving calls indicating that there was a 2 vehicle crash on Highway 35 north of 90th Avenue in the Town of Osceola.
Upon arrival, it was found that there were 2 GMC pickup trucks that hit nearly head on. There was a lone male occupant in one of the GMC pickups, and a male and female in the other. The male and female were unconscious and the other pickup’s driver was moving around. All of the occupants appeared to have sustained substantial injuries. Ambulance and first responder and fire units were called to the scene, along with air ambulances.
The lone occupant vehicles’ driver was extricated from his vehicle and transported initially to the Osceola Medical Center where he was later taken to Regions Hospital by air ambulance. The driver and passenger of the other vehicle succumbed to their injuries and passed away while still on scene.
During the course of the investigation, it appears that lone occupant GMC truck was traveling south bound on Hwy 35 while the other truck was traveling north bound. The vehicles met near the center of the roadway, with the impact area of damage starting in the north bound travel lane. After the collision, both vehicles traveled into the south bound travel lane. The truck with the two occupants rolled onto its driver’s side and came to rest facing south bound, along the west roadway edge. The south bound vehicle rotated, staying on its wheels, and came to rest near the center of the roadway, facing north.
At this time this crash is still being investigated by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
We would like to thank the Allied Fire and First Responders, the St Croix Fire Department, the Osceola Fire Department, the St. Croix Falls Fire Department, the St Croix Falls and Osceola Police Departments, the Life Link air ambulance service, and the Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The names of the individuals involved will be withheld at this time and released at a later date.
Last Update: Jul 06, 2020 11:22 am CDT
