A head-on collision between a Honda Civic and a Dodge Ram pickup Thursday morning on Crow Wing County Road 3 at Country Lane north of Brainerd left a Nisswa woman and her 4-year-old daughter with serious injuries.
Emergency personnel and law enforcement responded to the crash reported at 8:20 a.m. on County Road 3 south of The Woods restaurant. Heavy traffic was rerouted so responders could help the injured parties. The Minnesota State Patrol worked on the crash reconstruction of the scene, with help from the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office.
The state patrol reported Macy A. Kujava, 24, Nisswa, driving a Honda Civic, was traveling southbound on Crow Wing County Road 3 and a Dodge Ram, driven by Vaughn C. Gentry, 39, Barnesville, was traveling northbound on County Road 3. The Dodge lost control, crossed over the center line and hit the Honda head-on, the state patrol said. Initially, the state patrol reported the Dodge was passing a third party, but later corrected the information to state Gentry lost control of his vehicle.
Macy Kujava and her daughter, Sophia M. Kujava, were transported to Essentia Health-St. Joseph's Medical Center and then airlifted to North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale with serious injuries. Macy Kujava was in critical condition Thursday night, the hospital reported. Information on Sophia Kujava was unavailable.
Gentry was transported to the Brainerd hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
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There were close to a dozen Brainerd firefighters at the scene. Firefighters extricated the Kujavas from the Honda Civic.
Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl said he believes road conditions played a role in the crash. Dahl reminded motorists to use caution, have patience and plan time accordingly when traveling in adverse winter driving conditions.
The Brainerd Police Department also assisted at the scene.
