Sheriff: Car Hits Bus Near St. Joseph In Fog, 1 Hurt

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Authorities say fog and speed are to blame after a 25-year-old man was hurt when his vehicle rear-ended a coach bus Wednesday morning near St. Joseph, according to the Stearns County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities responded at about 6:45 a.m. to a report of a collision between a car and a bus involving injuries on the 31000 block of County Road 3. The address is about one mile northwest of St. Joseph, in St. Joseph Township.

When officers arrived, a 2009 GMC Sierra driven by Eli Sobania of Holdingford had heavy front-end damage in the southbound lane. He was trapped in the truck and needed extrication. A 44-year-old Sauk Rapids man driving the coach bus involved in the crash was not hurt. There were no passengers in the bus at the time of the crash, authorities say. The bus had rear end damage sustained in the crash.

Authorities say County Road 3 was close for an extended time while Sobania was extricated from his vehicle. An investigation of the crash shows the bus was stopped to make a left turn when the Sierra slammed into it at about 60 miles per hour.

The driver of the bus saw the Sierra coming, tried to accelerate and was unsuccessful. Authorities say speed and heavy fog were factors in the crash. Sobania was taken to St. Cloud Hospital for multiple bone fractures.

The Stearns County Sheriff's Office was assisted at the scene by the St. Joseph Police Department, St. Joseph Fire and Rescue and the Minnesota State Patrol.