By William Morris

Owatonna People’s Press

STEELE COUNTY — A Blooming Prairie man was taken to the hospital Wednesday after his truck collided with a piece of heavy farm equipment.

State Patrol records show that at about 4 p.m. Wednesday, Thomas Wencl, 60, was driving westbound on Highway 30 when he struck the rear of a John Deere tractor pulling a spreader, also westbound, driven by Carl Pederson, 29, of Ellendale. Wencl’s Ford Ranger struck the rear tire of the truck and overturned, according to the patrol report.

Ellendale Ambulance assisted at the scene and transported Wencl to Owatonna Hospital with injuries listed as non-life-threatening. Pederson was not injured. As of Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson said no patient by Wencl’s name was receiving care at the hospital.

Wencl’s vehicle was totaled in the crash, the report said, while Pederson’s vehicle received minor damage.