HILL CITY — A Friday, Sept. 4, crash involving two vehicles sent three children and four adults to the hospital, including one whose injuries were life-threatening.
The Minnesota State Patrol received a report of the crash at 5:50 p.m. Friday at the intersection of highways 169 and 200 in Hill City. A GMC SUV was northbound on Highway 169 and a Ford van was traveling east on Highway 200 when the two vehicles collided in the intersection. The impact caused the GMC to land east of the intersection on Highway 200, while the Ford ended up in the ditch on Highway 200 north of the intersection.
The driver of the GMC, 70-year-old William Edward Matzdorf of Hill City, suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth. Matzdorf’s passenger Carrie Francis Matzdorf, 60, also of Hill City, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and went to Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital in Grand Rapids.
All of those in the van — 18-year-old driver Reagan Gene Mayer and passengers Gretchen Marie Mayer, 15; Jeannie Marie Mayer, 41; Lexi Gene Mayer, 4; and Robyn Helen Mayer, 12, all of Menahga — had non-life-threatening injuries and also went to Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital.
Airbags deployed in both vehicles and all those involved in the crash wore seatbelts, the state patrol reported. Assisting at the scene were the Hill City Fire Department, Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office, Remer Ambulance, Itasca Ambulance, North Memorial Health Air Care and Lifelink III.
