Five Hurt in Four-Vehicle Crash Near Howard Lake

HOWARD LAKE – Five people were hurt in a four-vehicle crash Wednesday in rural Wright County.

The Minnesota State Patrol says the crash, which included two semis, a pickup and a car, happened around 8:30 a.m. near the intersection of Highway 12 and 58th Street Southwest in Middleville Township, west of Howard Lake.

A semi with a tanker, driven by 46-year-old Jonathan Hinnenkamp of Sauk Centre, was eastbound on Highway 12 when it rear-ended a pickup truck hauling a gravity box, driven by 60-year-old Larry Smith of Howard Lake. The gravity box flew into the westbound lanes, hitting another semi, driven by 64-year-old Steven Rossman of South Haven. Hinnenkamp then attempted to avoid hitting the gravity box but rear-ended a car, driven by 24-year-old Alex Sheff of Dassel. The crash caused Hinnenkamp’s semi to roll and block all lanes on Highway 12.

All four drivers, along with a passenger in the in the pickup, received non-life-threatening injuries. Rossman was taken to Buffalo Hospital. The other four people involved were not treated at the hospital.

The Minnesota State Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, the Howard Lake Fire Dept. and ambulances from Howard Lake and Cokato.