Another very, very bad accident (UPDATE)

Early this morning, a very serious accident took place on Highway 55 just west of the Michael Stamer grain bin corner between the towns of Brooten and Belgrade. I don't know specifics, but it involved four vehicles. I actually drove towards the accident shortly after 7 a.m., but I quickly noticed the overwhelming emergency responder response and turned back home. It was too much for me to even process when I saw the flashing lights. It seemed like there were 20 separate emergency responder/law enforcement vehicles there.

I generally wait 24 hours after an accident until I post names when an accident takes place. So by tomorrow morning it's possible that other media outlets will have details posted. I like to wait. It's just better that way for the families involved.

Update:
I have read an initial Minnesota State Patrol report on the Highway 55 accident. The 9-1-1 call was placed at 6:46 a.m. Road conditions were listed as "wet" in the report.

Another update...the accident had one fatality. That's all I can share right now. I have heard that more information is going out around social media, and there is an arrest record on one party in the Highway 55 accident with at least 3 felonies being charged. I have much to digest. You can bet on this: I will go the ends of the earth to find out everything I can on the person arrested following this accident.

This was an already awful day when the double funeral of Will Dahl and Harrison Dahl takes place this afternoon at Peace Lutheran church in New London. I don't know what is happening out there. The road ways are just so completely dangerous here in January of 2024. I'm just numb from all this. It's too much. It has to stop.

I just received an obituary for Jason Michels, who attended school in Belgrade and B-B-E high schools. He was raised as part of the B-B-E Class of 1995. It is a difficult time for the Michels family. His mom, Jan, is a truly wonderful person. Some of you may remember her from her bus driving days in Belgrade and B-B-E. We love her dearly. Jan's grandson Braeden was a key part of the 2023 Jaguar football team. Please include the Michels family in your prayers.

More to come later after the Brooten city council meeting.

**Update on the Highway 55 fatality...
You can click over to the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website to read more about the Highway 55 fatality that occurred this morning. This is a truly horrendous tragedy that took place exactly when productive adults were getting ready to go to work. It is scary. I don't know what is happening, but I do not like it. LINK: https://rb.gy/7vntkr. I PROMISE YOU: YOU WILL BE ABSOLUTELY SICKENED when you read about him.

In case you were not keeping track...here's the current list of former B-B-E students, most of whom I went to school with, who died in the past week...they will all have obituaries in either this or next week's newspaper:
1. Mike Ward
2. Shawna Jacobson
3. Jason Michels
4. Cassie Mithaugen (B-B-E Class of 2001)

When you go to bed tonight, and when you wake up in the morning, please, PLEASE pray for our local first responders. This includes our local fire department members from Sedan, Belgrade, Brooten and Elrosa...along with a long list of other first responders plus our Glacial Ridge Ambulance personnel. The work they do saves lives again and again. In the case of the Highway 55 accident, first responders transported a three-year old child to receive medical care. I'll have more on that in the upcoming newspaper issue. The first responders to this accident are HEROES.

And finally...please pray that the grim reaper lays off of us. Enough is enough!