New Sweden Twp, MN (June 30, 2026) – Six people were hurt in a three-vehicle crash along Highway 22 at Nicollet County Road 1 in Nicollet County on Sunday, June 28.
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, an 18-year-old driver from Minnetrista was traveling north in a 2012 Toyota Corolla when it struck a 2021 GMC Sierra that had stopped in the northbound lane to make a left turn onto Nicollet County Road 1. After the initial contact, the GMC then collided with a southbound 2015 Honda Pilot.
The Toyota driver, William Grant Lund, and passenger Grace Elizabeth Stout, both 18 and of Minnetrista, were taken to New Ulm Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. The GMC driver, 26-year-old Nicholas Lee Selders of Winthrop, and passenger Ellynor Ann Selders, 20, also of Winthrop, were treated at New Ulm Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries.
The Honda was driven by 46-year-old Erin Joann Roiger of Winnebago, who was airlifted to Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester with non-life-threatening injuries. Her passenger, 46-year-old David Charles Roiger, was taken by private vehicle to New Ulm Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
The cause of the crash remains under review as investigators continue gathering information.
We wish everyone involved a full and speedy recovery.
How Left-Turn Crashes Usually Happen at Rural Intersections
Rural intersections can present unique driving challenges, especially on highways where vehicles travel at higher speeds. A driver waiting to turn left must judge the distance and speed of approaching traffic while also monitoring vehicles traveling behind them. Even a brief lapse in timing or following distance can lead to a chain reaction involving multiple vehicles.
Drivers can reduce the risk by maintaining a safe following distance, slowing down when approaching intersections, and staying alert for vehicles preparing to turn. Using turn signals well in advance also helps give other motorists more time to react. Although many rural roads carry less traffic than city streets, higher travel speeds usually make careful attention and defensive driving especially valuable.
