Hinckley Man Dead After Pickup Collides with Semi on Snowy Highway

Apr 3

A man was killed Wednesday morning when he lost control on a snowy Pine County road and crashed head-on into a semi truck.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the crash occurred just before noon along Highway 48 in Barry Township, near Hinckley. Authorities say a pickup truck traveling westbound lost control on the snowy road and slid into the path of an oncoming semi traveling eastbound. The two vehicles collided, sending the pickup off the roadway to the north and the semi into the south ditch.

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The driver of the pickup, identified as 67-year-old Gary Eugene Thompson, of Hinckley, was not wearing a seat belt and died at the scene. His vehicle, a 1998 Ford F150, sustained heavy front-end damage and its airbags were deployed.

The semi truck, a 2007 Peterbilt, was driven by a 50-year-old man of Pine City. He was not injured and was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash, according to the State Patrol.

Emergency responders from Pine County Sheriff’s Office, Hinckley Fire Department, Essentia Ambulance and Mille Lacs Tribal authorities assisted at the scene. The crash remains under investigation by the Minnesota State Patrol.

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