At 9:15 Sunday morning, Sept. 30, Kimball Fire & Rescue, Watkins Ambulance, and Minnesota State Patrol responded to a crash in the city of Kimball. Bruce Schmitz, 37 of Watkins, was driving eastbound on Highway 55 and stopped to turn left onto Hazel Avenue, waiting for westbound traffic to clear before turning.
Courtney Eystad, 29 of South Haven, was also driving eastbound on Highway 55. Her 2011 Chevrolet Malibu struck the rear of Schmitz’s 2011 Chrysler Town & Country, pushing it forward until it came to rest in the ditch on the south side of Highway 55.
Schmitz was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. His passengers did not need transport: Hunter Schmitz age 10, Josephine Schmitz age 11, Nicollet Schmitz age 8, and Samantha Schmitz age 35.
Everyone involved in the accident was wearing seat belts.