Two-vehicle crash on I-94 near Osakis injures five

A two-vehicle crash on Interstate 94 near Osakis on Saturday, June 6, injured five people and one of them was airlifted from the scene.

At about noon, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office received multiple 911 calls of the crash, which happened on I-94 at the Osakis interchange at mile marker 114.

An initial investigation shows that the first vehicle, an Oldsmobile Silhouette van driven by Nancy Taft of Browerville, had been eastbound on I-94. Taft was attempting to exit at the Osakis off ramp and had stopped in the right-hand lane, waiting to merge due to other traffic, according to the sheriff’s office.

Timothy Olson of Grundy Center, Iowa was driving a Chevrolet Silverado pickup towing a single-axle trailer and collided with Taft's vehicle as she was stopped in traffic. Olson estimated his speed at 60 mph because he was towing the trailer.

Joseph Slabaugh, 71, of Long Prairie was seated in the back seat of the Oldsmobile and had to be mechanically extricated from the vehicle by the Osakis Fire Department. He was flown from the scene due to his injuries by LifeLink III Air Ambulance. His condition currently is unknown.

Taft, 38, and her passenger, Glenn Taft, 49, of Browerville, were taken to Alomere Health in Alexandria via North Ambulance.

Olson, 71, and his passenger, Robin Olson, 66, of Grundy Center, were also taken to Alomere via North ground ambulance. Their injuries are not believed to be serious or life threatening, according to the sheriff’s office.

Agencies that responded to the scene included Osakis Fire Department, North Ambulance, LifeLink III Air Ambulance and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.