A turned over semi-tractor trailer Tuesday night caused a fiery crash and blocked the west-bound lanes of Interstate 90 east of Luverne into the wee hours Wednesday morning.
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the westbound semi driver, Ricardo Gaytan Soto, Worthington, told officials he swerved to miss a deer and lost control and overturned the rig.
The trailer was on its side, blocking both westbound lanes of I-90 when a westbound car crashed into the trailer and burst into flames.
The driver and passenger of the 2010 Chevy Aveo, 48-year-old Anthony Shealey and his wife, Christina Shealey, 39, of Mountain Lake, were wearing their seatbelts and were taken to Sanford Luverne.
He reportedly suffered non-life threatening injuries and she had no apparent injuries, according to the State Patrol report.
Soto, 26, was also transported to Sanford Luverne with non-life threatening injuries.
The crash was reported just after 10 p.m. Tuesday, but westbound I-90 did not reopen until about 5 a.m. Wednesday.
Traffic was detoured off the Magnolia exit and through Luverne on County Road 4 while crews worked to offload the trailer, which had been full of hardware store-type merchandise ranging from mason jars and knick-knacks to farm parts and equipment.
In addition to the Minnesota State Patrol, the Luverne Fire Department and ambulances from Rock County and Adrian responded, as did the Rock and Nobles county sheriff’s offices. The Minnesota Department of Transportation assisted with traffic control.