Chatfield, MN (KROC-AM News) – Two drivers were killed in a crash on Hwy. 52 late Wednesday night between Rochester and Chatfield.
According to the State Patrol, the collision occurred around 11:45 p.m. involving a southbound Jeep and a northbound SUV at the intersection with Olmsted County Rd. 7.
Both drivers were the sole occupants of their vehicles. Authorities identified the SUV driver as 40-year-old Devon Peri Williams of Preston, who succumbed to his injuries at St. Mary’s Hospital, while the Jeep driver, 62-year-old Samuel A. Hernandez of Chicago, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigation Underway
Both drivers were wearing seatbelts, and the state crash report indicates Williams was not under the influence of alcohol. A toxicology test for Hernandez is pending.
Investigators are still determining which vehicle entered the oncoming lane. Weather conditions were wet at the time of the crash.
Mayo Clinic Ambulance, Chatfield Ambulance, and both the Chatfield and Rochester Fire Departments responded to the incident, along with the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office. Lane closures were implemented during the response and investigation.