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The Southeast Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s office released the identity of a man killed in a Friday afternoon accident in Mower County.

According to Mower County Sheriff Steve Sandvik, the victim of Friday’s crash was 82-year-old Gary Lowell Larson of Hayfield.

“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the Larson family on their loss,” Sandvik said. 

According to Sandvik, deputies were dispatched at about 3:30 p.m. on Friday on a report of a one-vehicle accident in the 33000 block of 670th Avenue in rural Sargeant. The report stated a male was trapped inside the vehicle and the vehicle was on fire. The reporting party advised dispatch that the vehicle had hit a bridge and it appeared there was only one occupant. They also advised the fire was rapidly spreading.

Upon arrival, deputies observed the SUV was fully engulfed and the lone occupant clearly appeared to be deceased. The fire was too hot to safely approach the vehicle.

The Hayfield Fire Department arrived on scene and extinguished the fire. Southeast Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s staff and the Fire Marshal also responded to the scene.

The investigation is ongoing and no further information regarding the cause of the crash or cause and manner of death are available at this time.