Minnesota's deadly Memorial Day weekend, at least 11 killed in crashes

Photo by PhotoDu.de

This Memorial Day weekend in Minnesota was one of the deadliest in recent memory after at least 11 people were killed in car accidents Saturday and Sunday. Alcohol is believed to be a factor in four of the crashes. In an average weekend in the state, there are two to three crash fatalities, but even for a holiday weekend, the numbers were high. One crash in Olmsted County led to the deaths of four people. Two people, including a 2-year-old boy, were critically injured, when the van they were driving in was broadsided by a driver believed to be drinking.

More from the Star Tribune:

"It spun violently," Minnesota State Patrol spokesman Lt. Matt Langer said of the van, adding that damage was so severe it was difficult to tell whether the people in it had been wearing seat belts.

Alcohol was detected on the breath of the other vehicle's driver, Christopher S. Frisch, 25, of Winona, Minn. Frisch, who was not hurt, was arrested on suspicion of criminal vehicular operation and was in custody Sunday evening.

KSTP has a video report on the deadly weekend:

In another scary weekend incident that luckily was not deadly, all 13 passengers on a boat along the Mississippi River were thrown overboard by a large wave from another boat. The boat was in the water near Red Wing Sunday and 11 of the passengers were hospitalized with mild to moderate injuries.

According to the Star Tribune, the boat was traveling about 50 miles-per-hour when the driver made a sharp turn when it hit the wake from another boat. All passengers were thrown into the water.