At about 3 a.m. Friday, Feb. 11, the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a semi that had rolled onto its side near the address of 31437 Co. Rd. 65 in Oak Township (about a mile east of the city of Melrose). The caller reported that one occupant appeared to be inside.
When deputies arrived, they found an adult male trapped in the cab. The driver, Frederick Ettel, 73 of Freeport, was extracted from the semi and transported to Melrose Hospital by ambulance.
The trailer was carrying about 40,000 pounds of milk.
The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, Melrose Fire and Rescue, Melrose Ambulance, and Melrose Police Department responded to the scene. Weather conditions are believed to be the cause of the crash.