Five people were killed in a two-vehicle collision Friday afternoon on US Highway 71 north of Windom in Cottonwood County.
A northbound 2016 GMC Terrain driven by Martin Hanson, 67, of Springfield, collided head-on with a southbound 2019 Ford Transit Van driven by Matthew Arthur Schultz, 42, of Lakefield. The van contained 11 passengers, four of whom were killed in the collision. Schultz, the driver of the van, was transported to Windom Area Health Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Hanson, the lone occupant of the other vehicle, died at the scene.
The deceased in the van have been identified by the Minnesota State Patrol as:
Richard Warren Johnson, 73, of Jackson, MN
Kathleen Ann Johnson, 73, of Jackson, MN
Lindsey Kay Rossow, 47, of Lakefield, MN
Kelly Christine Hargus, 49, of Jackson, MN
Two occupants of the van were said to have suffered life-threatening injuries. They are Kassandra Lynn Ambrose, 44, of Jackson, MN and Eric Charles Rossow, 54, of Lakefield, MN. Eric Rossow was airlifted to a hospital in Sioux Falls, Kassandra Ambrose was taken to a hospital in Redwood Falls.
Also suffering injuries in the accident which were termed non-life threatening in the State Patrol Report were Nolan Ambrose, 19, of Jackson; Andria Benson, 20, of Jackson; Kristin Hanson, 44, of Jackson; Brett Rossow, 20, of Jackson; Karlee Rossow, 23, of Lakefield; and Keylee Rossow, 25, of Lakefield.
Responding agencies included the Cottonwood & Redwood County Sheriff’s Departments, and first responders from Sanborn, Windom, Lamberton, Westbrook, and Springfield.
Road conditions were dry and alcohol was not a factor in the accident according to the report.