State Patrol: Distracted Driving May Have Led To Fatal Washington Co. Crash

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating a fatal Washington County crash Monday afternoon.

According to the state patrol, the crash occurred at 6:46 p.m. on the intersection of Highway 95 at 22nd Street North in Lakeland Township.

Preliminary evidence suggests that the driver of a Saab traveling north on the highway may have been distracted while driving, causing the vehicle to cross the lanes of traffic and enter the southbound ditch. The Saab then hit an embankment, went airborne and crashed onto the top of a Ford Fusion that was sitting stationary in the intersection.

The driver of the Ford was killed. She has been identified as 22-year-old Megan Goeltz of Hudson, Wisconsin.

Megan's father, Tom Goeltz, says Megan had a 3-year-old child and worked at a nursing home, working closely with terminally ill patients.

The driver of the Saab, identified as 20-year-old Drew Fleming of Hudson, suffered non-life threatening injuries.

According to the Department of Public Safety, Fleming is cooperating with investigators and told authorities that he may have been distracted when he lost control of his vehicle.

The fatality brings the overall preliminary fatal count to 50 traffic deaths in Minnesota, compared to 31 reported at this time last year.