AITKIN — Two people died, and several were injured in a four-vehicle crash on Oct. 4 in Aitkin County.
The Minnesota State Patrol responded to the incident at 5:15 p.m. in Waukenabo Township. Authorities said a 1993 GMC Suburban pulling a trailer eastbound on County Highway 3 failed to stop at a stop sign, subsequently colliding with a northbound 2019 GMC Yukon on Highway 169.
The Yukon then struck two waiting vehicles in the westbound lanes: a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee and a 2009 Dodge Ram, causing moderate damage.
Passengers in the Suburban, Elizabeth Jane Baldwin, 61, and Marlo Dean Baldwin, 92, both of Minnetonka, suffered fatal injuries. The State Patrol reported that Elizabeth Baldwin was not wearing a seat belt. The driver, Roger John Walker, 61, of Minnetonka, sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth.
Lisa Mae Melberg, 44, the driver of the Yukon, along with two passengers—Carly Ann Melberg, 11, and Haley Rae Melberg, 14—both of Zimmerman, also suffered life-threatening injuries. They were transported to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. Two additional passengers from the Yukon, Daisie Mae Melberg, 15, and Ally Mae Melberg, 18, incurred non-life-threatening injuries; Daisie was transported, while Ally was not. Passenger Robert John Davidson, 18, of Zimmerman, suffered minor injuries and was taken by a private vehicle.
David James Louisiana, 60, of St. Paul, and Timothy Allan Thompson, 57, of Palisade, drivers of the Jeep and Dodge respectively, were uninjured.
The Hill City Police Department and Aitkin County Sheriff's Office assisted at the scene. The investigation is ongoing.