UPDATE: Wrong Way Driver Causes Multiple Crashes on I-35

State Police Say the Driver was Killed in Bong Bridge Accident

DULUTH, Minn. – A Centerville, Minn. man, traveling against traffic on I-35, caused two crashes in Duluth Friday afternoon according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

The first crash happened around 5:15 p.m., when a Kia OSX, Land Rover Discovery and Dodge Avenger tried to avoid a Hyundai Sonata, driven by 77 year-old Dennis Edlund of Centerville, Minn. on I-35 North near the 27th Ave. West exit.  The driver and a young passenger in the Avenger were taken to St. Luke’s with non-life threatening injuries.  None of the other ten people involved in the crash were injured.

The second crash happened around 5:30 p.m. on the Bong Bridge, when Edlund traveled towards Superior in the Duluth-bound lane and hit two other vehicles.  Edlund was killed in the crash, nobody else was injured.

A witness told FOX 21 he saw Edlund drive on to I-35 North at the Mesaba Ave. exit, narrowly missing two other cars.  Another witness said Edlund narrowly missed his family near 21st Ave. W.  The Minnesota State Patrol says Edlund wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.

The Duluth-bound side of the Bong Bridge was shut down for about three hours, reopening just after 8:30 p.m.