White-out

conditions

contribute to

fatal accident near Springfield

SPRINGFIELD -- Two people who had stopped to assist another motorist at the west edge of Springfield on Hwy. 14 were killed in an accident at 12:35 p.m. Saturday.

Pedestrians Bradley Ross Heilman, 29, of 122 N. O'Connell Ave., Springfield, and Loren Vernon Batalden, 52, of 10453 Yorktown Lane N., Maple Grove, stopped to help Justin David Robertson, 17, of 224 N. Cass Ave., Springfield, get his 1995 Ford Contour free from a snow drift in the road lane. The Robertson vehicle was stuck facing eastward in the drift.

White-out weather conditions prevented an on-coming motorist traveling eastbound, Thomas Edward Ladwig, 36, of 2815 W. 71st, Richfield, from seeing the two pedestrians and the stuck Robertson vehicle.

Ladwig, driving a 2000 Chevrolet passenger car struck the two pedestrians. Heilman and Batalden were reported dead at the scene, according to information from the Highway Patrol.

Robertson and Ladwig sustained no injuries.

The Minnesota State Patrol Mankato District, the Brown County Sheriff's Department, and the Springfield Police Department provided assistance at the accident scene.