4-vehicle chain reaction crash in Lakeville, Minnesota killed two Monday. A semi truck and 2 cars were stopped in the northbound lanes on I-35, near Highway 70, when another semi approached and was unable to stop, slamming into the vehicles. The force of impact pushed the two cars into the lead semi truck, crushing them. The semi truck was carrying beehives with millions of bees.

A driver of one of the cars was pronounced dead at the scene. The other car driver was air-lifted to North Memorial Hospital where she died Monday evening. Recovery attempts were hampered by the swarm of bees at the scene.

According to the State Patrol report, 50-year-old Pamela Brinkhaus, Elko, died at the scene and 24-year-old Kari Rasmussen, St. Anthony, died as a result of her injuries, at North Memorial Hospital. It was reported on the news that Ms. Rasmussen was pregnant.

The driver of the semi involved was Jason Styrbicky, 36, Buffalo. The accident is still under investigation.

Many semi truck accidents occur due to driver negligence — inattentiveness, driving while texting, or excessive speed top the list. That makes the loss of a loved one in a semi truck accident even more heart-wrenching and tragic.

Semi truck accident lawsuits are complex and require a high degree of legal expertise to investigate and access every avenue of recovery. The Minneapolis injury attorneys at TSR Injury Law are skilled, aggressive litigators with years of experience. We care and want to fight for justice for you and your family. Call us today at (612) TSR-TIME or submit our free consultation form.

Snow and sleet moved across Minnesota and resulted in 296 auto crashes earlier in April. In fact, these crashes occurred in one day and before 4:00 p.m., according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

Of those crashes, 39 of them caused injuries. However, there were no fatal injuries reported. In addition to these accidents, 440 vehicles slid off the road and spun out, according to the state patrol.

Overall, there was a large amount of debris and the entire state had to deal with difficult travel. The State Emergency Operations Center was on a Level III alert, which is a partial activation.

In a two day period the Rochester area alone experienced 40 vehicles that slid off of the road, 24 crashes that caused property damage, and seven crashes that caused injuries. The Mankato area saw 43 vehicles go off of the road, 10 crashes causing property damage, and one crash causing injury.

These areas are just small examples of what was seen overall.

The hospitals had treated nearly a dozen individuals who were injured in crashes. United Hospital in St. Paul reported four crash injuries in which three had come in before 10:30 a.m.

Hennepin County Medical Center reported around a dozen accident victims, including back pain, slips and falls.

One man was hit on I-94 while he was changing a tire. The car that hit him had lost control while going eastbound and collided with him. The man was taken to the hospital and his injuries were deemed non-life threatening. However, both of his legs were broken. Another person who was outside their vehicle was hit in the westbound lane of I-94 due to a spinout. The injuries were minor.

A Metro Transit bus was also rear-ended after a car lost control, but there were no serious injuries. A Semi jackknifed on an icy ramp and a bus blocked traffic around Rice Street, resulting in passengers having to board another bus.

Overall, the traffic situation was a mess, but very fortunate that there were no fatal accidents. The lack of fatalities has much to do with the fact drivers were driving at low speeds on the slippery roads.

Knowing who to contact after a car crash can be a daunting experience. The team of Bloomington auto accident lawyers at TSR Injury Law can help to review the details of your incident and determine if you have grounds to pursue a damages claim. There are no upfront fees and we are ready to help you today.

Free Consultation. Ph: (612) TSR-TIME.

Jean Matzke, 70, was walking her dog east on the sidewalk along 5th Street. As she went to cross Sibley Street, toward Mears Park, she was struck by a garbage truck turning left from 5th Street north onto Sibley. She was struck in the crosswalk at 5:53 a.m. Friday morning.

Jean Matzke was known and loved by a wide variety of people. Most recently, she has been known in the neighborhood as a dog walker and a dog lover. Two years ago she adopted an injured boxer. She formerly owned an art gallery in St. Cloud, was an instructor at St. Benedict’s, and was a top textile artist in Minnesota. She earned many accolades for her textiles.

A full investigation is under way and could take 4-6 weeks, according to police spokesman Sgt. Paul Schnell. The accident occurred 30 minutes after sunrise and that may have played a factor. Many times drivers, going east, are blinded by the sun. Officer Schnell said the driver was obviously distraught. The garbage truck driver was tested for drugs and alcohol, but showed no signs of impairment. He had a green light. It is unclear whether Ms. Matzke had the “walk” light.

In a crash involving a 60,000 pound garbage truck, no one comes out unscathed. A pedestrian accident with a garbage truck is the worst case scenario. The losses are staggering, impacting many people through the ripple effect:

• 2 lives changed — one lost, one bruised and frightened
• 2 families hurt and grieving
• 2 communities hurt and grieving

Victims Have Rights

If your family has been impacted by a garbage truck accident, seek legal consultation. You have options. A Minneapolis personal injury attorney at TSR Injury Law, can give advice, handle the paperwork, and file your claim. Our partners are skilled, aggressive, trial-tested litigators with years of experience with garbage truck accidents, car accidents, and motorcycle accidents. They are consistently named Super Lawyers by Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine and Law & Politics. Call (612) TSR-TIME or submit our online free consultation form.

Kellie Stein’s life changed drastically one day when she fell victim to a drunk driver. Now she says she just “lays there” and that she “just exists.”

On the other side is Kristin Kealy who is a single mother who had no criminal record and her driving record was clean. One night, she made the wrong decision and reached 90 miles per hour on a Coon Rapids road. Her drunkenness and her speed caused her to rear-end a Pontiac Firebird driven by Stein.

Now Stein is paralyzed from the neck down due to a severe spinal injury. In August, she had to leave the hospital to tell an Anoka County judge about the accident and how it changed her life forever.

Stein, 32, had to be rolled into the courtroom in a wheelchair by her boyfriend, who held the impact statement in front of her as she read it. She had dictated her statement to a hospital volunteer so she would be able to read it that day.

At first, her words were not audible as she spoke of the event. Kealy had been out drinking with friend at a Spring Lake Park Bar and at 1:30 a.m. was driving along Coon Rapids Boulevard at incredible speeds before crashing into Stein. A breath test showed that her BAC was .24, which was three times the .08 limit in Minnesota. At first, she told police she wasn’t driving.

As Stein continued to tell the judge about what occurred and the activities she can no longer perform on her own, her voice became stronger. She told him she cannot paint, garden, fish, or design landscapes. She does, however, plan on continuing her education, as she already has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and in psychology.

25-year-old Kealy received a one year jail sentence and said nothing to Stein during the court hearing. The judge sentenced her according to the sentencing guidelines, but he did tell Kealy that he would have sentenced her to spend more time in jail if he had more latitude to do so.