Teen sustains life-threatening injuries in Highway 60 crash

A St. Clair teen sustained life-threatening injuries after being rear-ended by a distracted driver on Highway 60 near Madison Lake, Friday, June 29, just before 6 p.m.

Seventeen-year-old Levi Tonn was driving eastbound in a 1993 Chevrolet Pickup, signaled to turn left, braked, and was rear-ended by a 2016 Dodge Journey driven by distracted driver Dawn Barber, 51, of Northfield. The impact caused Tonn’s pickup to go into the west-bound lane where it was struck by a 2007 Sterling dump truck driven by Styles Johnson, 27, of Fairmont. Kevin Schirmers, 31, of North Mankato who was driving eastbound in a 2010 Toyota Tundra attempted to avoid the dump truck by swerving right into the ditch, but the dump truck crashed into the Toyota in the ditch.

The State Patrol, Blue Earth County Sheriff, Madison Lake Police Department, Eagle Lake Police Department, Gold Cross Ambulance, and Madison Lake Fire responded to the scene.

According to the State Patrol incident report, Tonn was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital with life-threatening injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Barber and her 3-year-old passenger were not injured in the incident. Both were wearing seatbelts.

Johnson was transported to Mayo Clinic Health System with non-life-threatening injuries. He was wearing his seatbelt.

Schirmers and his passenger Samantha Schirmers, 29, of North Mankato were also buckled at the time of the crash and were not injured.

The State Patrol report states that alcohol was not involved.