Eight injured in 3-car crash on Highway 14 near Essig

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

ESSIG -- Eight persons were injured in a three-car collision on U.S. Highway 14 two miles east of Essig Saturday afternoon.

Most seriously injured was Karen Stern Pyan, 64, of Sleepy Eye who was a passenger in a 1995 Ford van driven by Denise Katherine Lienig, 41, of Morgan.

Pyan, who sustained compound leg fractures and several other injuries, was air-evacuated to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis for treatment. Lienig and another passenger, Gary Lee Lienig, 19, were treated and released at New Ulm Medical Center.

Valerie Lynn Kivett, 39, Burnsville, and Vicki Lynn Hance Terras, 41, Bloomington, both passengers in a 1996 Buick LeSabre driven by Douglas Lea Johnson, 69, Sauk Centre, were both admitted to the New Ulm hospital in stable condition with undetermined injuries. Johnson was being kept in the emergency room awaiting the results of X-rays Saturday night.

Linda Carol Richter, 55, Canby, driver of a 1995 Mazda 626, and passenger Bethany Ann Richter, 30, Willmar, were treated and released from the New Ulm Medical Center.

The State Patrol said the collision occurred when Johnson's eastbound vehicle slowed to make a lefthand turn into a driveway. Richter's vehicle rear-ended the Johnson vehicle spinning it into the path of the westbound Lienig vehicle.

Two New Ulm ambulances, one Sleepy Eye ambulance, two New Ulm Fire & Rescue units, three New Ulm police units and a Brown County Sheriff's unit responded to assist at the scene.