3 Dead, 2 Seriously Injured In Head-On Crash In Koochiching County

NORTHOME, Minn. — Three people are dead and two others were fighting for their lives Sunday after a head-on crash in Koochiching County.

The accident was reported just after 11 a.m. on Highway 1, west of Koochiching County Road 15 in Northome, which is about 70 miles southwest of I-Falls.

The Minnesota State Patrol says Joseph Carlson, 27, of North Branch, Minn., was driving eastbound in a Ford F-150.  At some point, his vehicle and a Chevrolet Silverado traveling westbound collided head-on.

Carlson and his passenger, John Corazzo, 27, of Shoreview, Minn., were killed. Both were wearing seatbelts, according to MSP.

The driver of the Silverado, Riley Scheidecker, 24, of Bloomer, Wis., was killed.  Two of his passengers are hospitalized with life-threatening injuries:  Dolton Johnson, 26, of Menomonie, Wis., and Thomas Johnson, 26, of Bloomer, Wis.  Authorities said both passengers were not wearing seatbelts.  A third passenger, Levi Holum, 26, of Bloomer, Wis., suffered non-life threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment.  Holum was wearing a seatbelt, along with Scheidecker.

Road conditions were dry at the time of the accident, according to MSP. A cause was not immediately released.

Assisting MSP at the scene were Koochiching County Sheriff’s Office, Blackduck Ambulance, and Littlefork Ambulance.