At least 14 crashes reported Tuesday

Published 10:12 am Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Icy roads and blustery conditions took their toll on drivers around Austin on Tuesday — even on one who was getting out of his parked car.

Gold Cross and the Austin Fire Department went to the 300 block of Fifth Street NW shortly after 4 p.m. to extricate an 18-year-old victim from his car. According to the police report, a 69-year-old woman backed her Nissan pickup out of her driveway and slid into the driver-side door of the 18-year-old victim’s Pontiac Bonneville. The truck reportedly shut the victim’s car door on his leg and trapped it. After firefighters removed the door, Gold Cross transported the victim to Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin. The extent of the victim’s injuries were not listed in the report. No citations have been issued in that accident.

Police Chief Brian Krueger said his department responded to eight crashes in Austin, including a complicated one on Interstate 90 that required a long time for several officers and the Austin Fire Department to clear. Two more crash reports trickled in Wednesday morning, too, bringing the city’s total to 10. Krueger did not have any other confirmed reports of injuries. He urges drivers to leave early for their destinations and drive slowly, especially because much more snow may be on the way throughout Wednesday evening.

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The Mower County Sheriff’s Department also responded to some of those same calls, along with at least four of its own around the county. It is unclear if the Minnesota State Patrol has additional crash reports.