5 killed, 9 injured in southwestern Minnesota crash

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A head-on collision between a GMC Terrain SUV and a Ford Transit Van on Highway 71 in southwestern Minnesota has resulted in 5 fatalities and 9 injuries, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. The driver of the SUV and 4 passengers in the van were killed in the crash, while several others suffered life-threatening and non-life-threatening injuries.

Why it matters

This tragic accident highlights the dangers of head-on collisions on rural highways and the importance of road safety measures to prevent such devastating incidents. The loss of life and severe injuries will have a profound impact on the local community.

The details

The crash occurred on Friday afternoon when a northbound 2016 GMC Terrain SUV collided head-on with a southbound 2019 Ford Transit Van near 240th Street on Highway 71. The driver of the SUV, 67-year-old Martin Nickolas Hanson of Springfield, Minnesota, was killed. Four passengers in the van also died: 49-year-old Kelly Christine Hargus, 73-year-old Kathleen Ann Johnson, 73-year-old Richard Warren Johnson, and 47-year-old Lindsey Ray Rossow. A 44-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man suffered life-threatening injuries, while the van's driver and six other passengers had injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

• The crash occurred late Friday afternoon on March 22, 2026.