Maple Grove crash kills two
Police say alcohol may have been involved in a head-on collision that killed two people in a suburb northwest of Minneapolis.
Maple Grove Police identified the victims Saturday as Sheron Swanson, 68, of Dayton, Minn. and Michael Kelley, 54, of Osseo.
Police said Kelley was driving an SUV that crossed the center line of County Road 81.
Several departments, including the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, responded to reports of a crash near the intersection with Maple Grove Parkway shortly before 4 p.m. Friday.
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Maple Grove Police say Kelley was traveling west and crossed into oncoming traffic and sideswiped one vehicle before crashing directly into Swanson's car which was eastbound on 81.
The three occupants of the first vehicle all received non-life threatening injuries.
Both Swanson and Kelley were pronounced dead at the scene.
Maple Grove Police Captain Dan Wills said alcohol appears to have been a factor in the accident, but that the department is investigating.
"Really it's a message that we want to get out year round, the dangers of drinking and driving," Wills said. "It doesn't take too much to make sure that you have a responsible driver who's ready to take you from wherever you are having a good time so we can all arrive at our destination safely."
In 2013, at least 81 people died in Minnesota in accidents involving drunk drivers, according to the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety.