By Shay Lelonek / News Director

FARMING TWP., Minn. — The driver of a Freightliner straight-axle truck with a propane tank sustained unknown injuries in a crash on Wednesday, March 4.

Around 7:35 a.m., the Stearns County Emergency Communications Center received a report of a crash at the intersection of County Road 42 and County Road 161, 4.5 miles north of Richmond.

The caller reported that a “flatbed-style propane truck” was in the ditch and resting on a power box, with the driver still in the vehicle.

Upon arrival, a Cold Spring/Richmond police officer saw the driver was trapped inside the vehicle and sustained injuries in the crash and the truck was leaking propane.

The driver was able to be extricated from the truck and was transported to the St. Cloud Hospital with unknown injuries.

According to the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, the driver was headed northbound on County Road 161, approaching County Road 42. Due to the heavy fog, it appears the T-intersection came up more quickly than anticipated.

The driver tried to make a left turn onto County Road 42 when the truck rolled onto its side and slid into the ditch, hitting a power box and several trees.

Stearns Electric was contacted and power to the affected area was turned off due to the propane leak and the truck on the power box. Roadways in the area were also closed to allow the propane to safely dissipate before removing the vehicle.