Germantown Township, MN – Five Dead in Crash Involving SUV and Van
At least five people died in a collision between an SUV and a van carrying 13 individuals on Friday afternoon in Germantown Township, according to authorities.
The Minnesota State Patrol reported the incident occurred at approximately 4:42 p.m. near the intersection of Highway 71 and 240th Street, about 55 miles west of Mankato in Cottonwood County. A GMC Terrain reportedly collided head-on with a Ford Transit van.
Martin Nickolas Hanson, 67, of Springfield, Minnesota, the driver and sole occupant of the GMC, was pronounced dead at the scene. Four passengers in the van were also killed:
- Kelly Christine Hargus, 49, Jackson, MN
- Kathleen Ann Johnson, 73, Jackson, MN
- Richard Warren Johnson, 73, Jackson, MN
- Lindsey Kay Rossow, 47, Lakefield, MN
Two other passengers—ages 44 and 54—were transported to local hospitals with life-threatening injuries. The remaining six passengers are expected to survive. The 42-year-old driver of the van sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The Minnesota State Patrol noted that alcohol is not suspected to be a factor in the crash. An investigation is ongoing.