VERMILION LAKE TWP— A two-vehicle accident on Hwy. 169 last Friday, just east of the Y Store, sent four people to the hospital, one with life-threatening injuries.
Ninety-one-year-old former Bois Forte tribal chairman Gary Donald took the brunt of the early afternoon crash, suffering severe injuries and he remained in hospital as of this week’s early press time. Donald was initially transported to the Virginia hospital but was later transferred to St. Mary’s in Duluth.
According to the state patrol, Donald was the passenger in a northbound Ford Escape, driven by 77-year-old Elaine Tibbetts, when the vehicle rear-ended a Lincoln Aviator driven by 64-year-old Michael Rosenberg of Eagan. Rosenberg was stopped on the highway while waiting to make a left turn onto Pike Bay Drive. Rosenberg experienced non-life-threatening injuries as did his passenger, 57-year-old Sagit Rosenberg, both of whom were transported to the Cook hospital.
Tibbetts was transported to the Virginia hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
All parties were reportedly wearing their seatbelts and alcohol was not a factor in the crash, which blocked traffic for a time. The roadway was wet at the time of the accident.