Crime & Safety
2 Dead, Child Injured In Wrong-Way Oakdale Crash On I-694
Two drivers were killed in the crash and a child suffered life threatening injuries, authorities said.
OAKDALE, MN — The two people killed in a wrong-way head-on crash in Oakdale early Thursday morning have been identified, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
According to the state patrol, a Toyota Corolla, driven by William Alexander Flores-Zamora, 28, of Saint Paul, was going south in the northbound lane on of I-694 when it crashed head-on into a Pontiac Vibe going north. The Pontiac spun out and hit a Mercedes Benz Sprinter van.
The driver of the Pontiac, Alexander John Ripka, 32, of Rice, was ejected and died while a three-year-old passenger had life threatening injuries and was taken to Gillette Children's Hospital.
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The wrong-way driver was also killed in the crash. The crash happened around 2:24 a.m.
The van driver, a 35-year-old Buffalo, New York man, had minor injuries.
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