Five people were injured in a head-on collision Thursday night south of Park Rapids on U.S. Highway 71.
The injuries are believed to be serious, emergency personnel said at the scene, but not life-threatening. It was unknown which hospital the injured were taken to but one 13-year-old girl was airlifted to Sanford Fargo.
The speed limit on that stretch of highway is 60 mph.
Traffic needed to be re-routed around the crash scene for an hour until measurements and photos could be taken.
The cars, which were both demolished, were near the center line of the highway, seven miles south of Park Rapids.
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The crash occurred shortly after 7:30 p.m.
According to the State Patrol a southbound 2001 Pontiac Sunfire driven by Matthew G. Ward,18, of Northfield, collided head-on with a northbound 2007 Chevy Malibu on the center line. The Malibu was driven by 38-year-old Bobbie J. Rogers, of Detroit Lakes. Her passengers, Brian Bellanger, 52, of Detroit Lakes and Marilyn D. Borha, 13, also of Detroit Lakes, were injured, as was Ward's passenger Brianna H. Aldrich, 19, of Faribault.
The State Patrol, Hubbard County, Wadena County Park Rapids and Menahga police and Park Rapids and Menahga firefighters, North Memorial Ambulance and Hubbard First Responders were on the scene. Firefighters were hosing gas and other fluids off the highway.The accident remains under investigation.
