Sheriff: 3 Hit & Injured By Truck While Trying To Pull Vehicle From Ditch

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Three people are in the hospital after they were struck by a truck while trying to pull a vehicle from a ditch, according to the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office.

According to the sheriff's office, deputies were dispatched at 6:04 p.m. Tuesday to a vehicle crash on County Road 44, about a fourth-mile east of County Road 45, in Brainerd.

Prior to the accident, the sheriff's office says three victims – a man, girl and boy -- were on the side of County Road 44 trying to pull a vehicle from a ditch, using an SUV which was parked on the road.

The sheriff's office says a pickup truck was traveling eastbound on County Road 44 when it went out of control, struck the SUV, struck the three victims and then struck the vehicle in the ditch. The adult male victim appeared to have been pinned between the truck and vehicle in the ditch.

All three victims were taken to Essentia Hospital via ambulance. The man, 34-year-old Joshua James Backstrom of Brainerd, suffered injuries to his legs. The juvenile victims suffered possible head injuries.

The sheriff's office says roads at the scene were iced over and extremely slippery at the time of the crash.