Driver Suffers Life-Threatening Injuries in Crash Involving Semi on Highway 52 in Vermillion Township
Published: April 29, 2026 | Last Updated: April 30, 2026 at 8:15 AM.
UPDATE: New details have been released following a serious crash on Wednesday morning in Vermillion Township that left one driver with life-threatening injuries.
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the crash occurred at approximately 6:56 a.m. on southbound Highway 52 at 200th Street East.
The crash report indicates a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck was traveling southbound on Highway 52 when it drifted into the “J-turn” lane used for northbound traffic. At the same time, a 2016 Western Star tractor-trailer was already established in that turn lane. The pickup truck then struck the trailer being pulled by the semi.
Authorities identified the driver of the pickup as a 41-year-old man from Bayport. He sustained life-threatening injuries in the crash and was transported to Regions Hospital for treatment. Officials confirmed he was wearing a seatbelt, and alcohol is not believed to be a factor.
The driver of the semi-truck, a 32-year-old man from Duluth, was not injured. He was also wearing a seatbelt, and no alcohol involvement is suspected.
Emergency responders from the Hastings Fire Department, the Dakota County Sheriff's Office, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation assisted at the scene alongside state troopers.
ORIGINAL STORY - VERMILLION TOWNSHIP, MINNESOTA – A driver sustained serious injuries Wednesday morning following a two-vehicle crash involving a semi-truck in Vermillion Township.
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, troopers were dispatched at approximately 6:56 a.m. on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, to the intersection of Highway 52 and 220th Street after reports of a collision between a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle.
Preliminary information indicates the two vehicles collided under circumstances that remain under investigation. The driver of the passenger car suffered serious injuries as a result of the crash. No additional details about the individual’s condition have been released at this time.
Emergency crews from the Hastings Fire Department, the Dakota County Sheriff's Office, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation, along with the Minnesota State Troopers, responded to assist at the scene.
Southbound Highway 52 was closed at 220th Street until about 10:30 AM while crews investigated the cause of the crash and cleaned up the scene. The roadway has since reopened to traffic.
The crash remains under active investigation, and additional details are expected to be released as they become available.
Written by: Will Wight
Coverage Photo Provided by MnDOT.
