A dump truck and passenger vehicle collided on a narrow section of road in the Hovland area on June 18. Although both vehicles were severely damaged, there were no serious injuries.
Charles Jason Irvin, 37, of Hovland was driving a 1994 International 9200 Series southbound and Christopher John Kartak, 22, from Chaska was driving a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado northbound when they met on a section of Tom Lake Road at Beaverdam Creek. According to Deputy Ben Hallberg’s report the road measures 16 feet wide at that point and there is a dip at the creek.
There were three passengers in the truck with Kartek—Stephen Olson, from Chaska; Nikki Kartak, 23, from Chaska and Andrew Kartak, 22, from Minnetonka.
According to Cook County Law Enforcement, Kartak said he was driving northbound on Tom Lake Road when he saw the dump truck coming toward him at what he estimated to be 55 miles per hour. Kartak said he was going about 15 miles per hour.
Passengers in Kartak’s vehicle stated he had possibly been going between 20-25 miles per hour, but passengers said they couldn’t be sure. Kartak said he locked up his brakes and started sliding into the ditch. His vehicle was hit near the rear door and the boat trailer swung around and punctured the gas tank on the dump truck. The pickup ended up in the ditch on the northbound side of the road, with the boat and trailer partially in the road.
Irvin told Cook County Law Enforcement that he was driving about 20-25 miles per hour. Irvin’s dump truck went into the ditch on the southbound side of the road. He was uninjured, but shaken.
Cook County Law Enforcement received a call reporting the accident at 6:18 p.m. The Hovland Fire Department and Cook County Ambulance were paged. The Hovland Fire Department was on scene at 7:11 p.m. and the ambulance arrived at 8:29. The occupants of Kartak’s vehicle were evaluated, but there was no medical transport and responders were clear from the scene at 11:21 p.m.
Neither vehicle was drivable and remained in the ditch until the next day when tow vehicles were available. Lake County Towing was called for the tow truck.
No citations were issued to either party.
Leave a Reply