Three Drivers Killed in Minnesota Traffic Wrecks

St Paul (KROC AM News) - Three Minnesota drivers were killed in two separate head-on traffic wrecks Wednesday.

The first one happened on an icy road near Long Prairie around 6:00 AM.

The State Patrol says 70-year-old Richard Kleinschmidt of Sauk Centre was killed after he lost control of his car and collided with an oncoming pickup truck. The driver of the truck was 30-year-old Aaron Thomas of Long Prairie. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The other wreck happened around 8:00 PM in rural Clay County in the northwest part of the state.

The State Patrol report indicates a pickup truck crossed into the opposite lane and collided with an SUV. Both drivers were killed.

The driver of the truck was 45-year-old Nathan Thompson of Ada. The other driver was 49-year-old Tamara Green of Halstad. A passenger in her vehicle - 74-year-old Joann Johnson of Nielsville - was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

News  update:  Minnesota's driver's license services are shut down.