State Patrol Identifies Austin Man Killed in Head-on Crash With Semi

Austin, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Minnesota State Patrol has identified the Austin man who was killed in a crash with a semi over the weekend. 

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First responders were called to the scene of the fatality shortly after 2:30 Saturday morning.

An SUV and semi were involved in the southeast Minnesota collision. 

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The state crash report says a southbound SUV collided head-on with a northbound semi on Hwy. 218 about five miles north of Austin. The driver and lone occupant of the SUV was killed. 

State Patrol ID's 31-Year-Old Austin Man Killed in Crash With Semi on Hwy. 218

On Monday, the State Patrol identified the SUV driver as 31-year-old Lukes James Ball of Austin. The updated state crash report indicates he died at the scene. 

39-year-old Labh Singh Banger of Regina was identified as the driver of the semi-truck. The State Patrol says he was not injured. 

Banger’s passenger, identified as 47-year-old Varinder Bawa, also of Regina, was transported to Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries, the State Patrol says. 

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Alcohol was not involved in the crash and all three occupants were wearing their seatbelts, the state crash report says. Officials did not say which vehicle entered the oncoming lane on the two-lane highway. 

Mayo Clinic Ambulance, the Austin Fire Department, Blooming Prairie Police Department and Mower County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the fatal collision.