Spate of accidents, one deadly, tarnish holiday

Wisconsin man dies in crash

NEW ULM -- A 21-year-old Pewaukee, Wis., man died at the scene of a two-vehicle, head-on accident Friday morning on Highway 15 at the east edge of town.

Derek W. Manke was ejected from the southbound 1989 Lincoln he was driving that collided with a northbound 1997 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Todd W. Schwab, 19, of rural New Ulm.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, Manke lost control of his vehicle on icy bridge conditions, crossed the center median and struck the Schwab truck.

Manke did not wear a seat belt. Schwab was not injured. He wore a seat belt and an air bag deployed, the State Patrol said.

The accident happened at 7:10 a.m. Friday. The Minnesota State Patrol said road conditions were icy Friday morning.

A spate of other accidents were also reported by the Brown County Sheriff's Office:

* A two-vehicle accident on State Highway 15, on the Cottonwood River Bridge just south of New Ulm, around 7:30 a.m. Friday left two people injured and severely damaged their vehicles.

Gary lee Hoffmann, 54, of New Ulm, driving a 1997 Jeep Cherokee, was going north on Highway 15, when he drove onto the ice-covered bridge deck and lost control.

He collided with a 1996 Hyundai Accent, travelling south on Highway 15, driven by Daniel Edward Crow, 40, of Madelia.

Both Hoffmann and Crow were transported to the New Ulm Medical Center by ambulance. They were treated and released.

* A two-vehicle accident with minor injuries was reported at 7:45 a.m. Friday on County Road 29, a mile west of New Ulm.

Krista Flock of Morgan was eastbound in a 1998 Chevrolet Blazer when a small red car passed her illegally on the right shoulder, causing her to lose control on the icy road.

The Flock truck went into the south ditch, slid down an embankment, rolled and landed on its wheels in a field.

Flock, who wore a seat belt, was transported by New Ulm Ambulance to the New Ulm Medical Center where she was treated and released.

If anyone has information on the red car, please call the Brown County Sheriff's Office at 507-233-6700.

* A single-vehicle accident without injuries was reported at 8:50 a.m. Friday on County Road 10, 1 1/2 miles south of County Road 27 in Home Township, about five miles southeast of Sleepy Eye.

Shannon Sellner of Sleepy Eye was driving a 1995 Mercury Sable northbound on County 10 when she skidded, lost control and slid on an icy bridge deck over the Cottonwood River. The vehicle slid into the east ditch, just north of the bridge, striking a Public Access sign. Sellner was wearing a seat belt. Vehicle damage was minor.