Sheriff: Woman Falls Asleep Behind Wheel, 1 Hurt in Crash

AVON -- A woman fell asleep behind the wheel and one of her three passengers was hurt when her vehicle crashed into a ditch.

The incident happened Monday shortly before 11:45 p.m. near 13796 County Road 52 in Avon Township.

Stearns County Sheriff Don Gudmundson says 33-year-old Nicole Nieman of St. Stephen was heading east on the county road when she crossed the center line, went into the ditch, struck a field approach, launching over it and landing on the other side.

Nieman and the two children passengers, ages eight and five months weren't hurt. However, Nieman's third passenger 34-year-old Eric Neiman had non-life threatening injuries.

Gudmundson says Nicole Nieman admitted to temporarily falling asleep.