Passenger In Van Killed In Meeker County Collision

ATWATER -- A passenger in a van was killed in a collision in Meeker County.  The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened at about 5:00 p.m. Friday.

Sixty-year-old Blake Ahlbrecht of Grove City was driving the van westbound on County Road 16 when troopers say he failed to stop at a stop sign and struck a semi that was going south on Highway 4.

A passenger in the van, 57-year-old Steven Schmidt of Atwater, was killed.  Ahlbrecht and another passenger were not hurt.

The semi driver, 72-year-old Gary Dettman of Stewart, was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Troopers say alcohol may have been a factor in the crash.