Pileup Crash Shuts Down I-94 in St. Cloud, Interstate Reopens

ST. CLOUD -- Three people were hurt in a pileup crash that shut down westbound Interstate 94 in St. Cloud early Thursday morning.

The crash happened at the Stearns County Road 75 interchange in St. Cloud just after 3:00 a.m. and involved five vehicles including three semi-trucks.

The Minnesota State Patrol says 29-year-old Khadar Jimale Hassan of Willmar was driving a semi tractor-trailer when he lost control on the icy road as he went to exit the interstate, jackknifed and blocked all westbound lanes.

A second semi driven by 37-year-old Ryan Vancleve was in the right lane and swerved to the left to avoid the first big rig. Vancleve's truck hit the first semi, jackknifed and came to rest in the median.

A third semi driven by 60-year-old Michael Wollman was in the left lane, rear-ended the second tractor-trailer, jackknifed and went into the right ditch.

The fourth vehicle was a straight truck driven by 26-year-old Khadar Abdinasir Hassan of St. Cloud. That truck swerved, went into the median and hit the second semi.

Finally, a pickup driven by 55-year-old Todd Richmond of Anderson, California swerved to miss the straight truck and hit the third semi in the right ditch. Richmond, his passenger, 48-year-old Ronda Pauley of Weed, California and the driver of the first semi, were all taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The interstate was closed for about three hours and reopened just before 6:00 a.m.