A pick-up truck went off the road near mile marker 92 in Lutsen on Saturday, April 2, sending four people to the hospital. Fortunately none of the injuries were life threatening.
Kyle D. Kropelnicki, 38, of Hastings, Minnesota was driving north on Highway 61 in a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado when the truck went into the ditch and hit an embankment. After hitting the embankment, the truck left the ground and crashed into a tree.
The accident was called in to Cook County Law Enforcement by ONSTAR at 5:54 p.m. Lutsen First Responders, Lutsen Fire Department and the Cook County Ambulance were paged. First Responders were on scene at 6:11 p.m. and a second ambulance was requested.
Because the on-call ambulance crewmembers were on the way to the scene, off-call crewmembers were paged and responded, but a driver was needed. A Grand Marais First Responder filled that role.
Ambulances reached the scene at 6:25 p.m. and 6:31 p.m. respectively. Four people—Kropelnicki; Adam C. Marks, 33, of Moorhead, Minnesota; Troy A. Longtine, 40, Cottage Grove, Minnesota and Erick D. Gamnis, 37, Cottage Grove, were transported to Cook County North Shore Hospital.
All of the men were wearing seatbelts and none suffered life-threatening injuries.
The pickup received severe damage and was towed by Cook County Towing.
The accident is under investigation, but it is believed alcohol was a factor.
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