Grand Forks man killed in west-central Minnesota crash

BENSON, Minn.

— The crash Tuesday morning that forced the closure of Minnesota Highway 9 east of Benson killed one of the drivers.

At 4:40 p.m. Tuesday, the Minnesota State Patrol posted a report that the crash was a fatal accident.

According to the accident report, a Kenworth semi, driven by 64-year-old Jeffrey Robert King, of Spicer, Minnesota, was westbound on Highway 9 as a Volkswagen Tiguan was traveling southbound on County Road 31. The Volkswagen failed to stop at the intersection, and the vehicles collided.

King was uninjured in the crash. He was wearing a seat belt and alcohol was not involved.

According to the State Patrol, the fatal injury was suffered by a 35-year-old man from Grand Forks, North Dakota. The identity of the driver is currently being withheld and is expected to be released Wednesday morning. He was the only occupant in the vehicle, according to the report, and no other details were listed about him.

The roadway was closed for several hours by the Minnesota Department of Transportation before the accident scene was cleared and traffic was opened up again.

Also responding to the scent Tuesday were the Swift County Sheriff’s Office, Benson Fire and Police departments, Centra Care Emergency Medical Services and the DeGraff Fire Department.