Fatal Highway 62 Crash: Autopsy Report On Passenger Released

MINNEAPOLIS — The Hennepin County Medical Examiner has released the autopsy report for the passenger killed in a single-car crash on Highway 62 early Monday morning.

The passenger was identified as Preston R. Haley, 21, of Como, Colorado. Haley died at the scene of the crash — eastbound Highway 62 at 34th Avenue — at 3:40 a.m. That was about 10 minutes after the crash.

The manner of death was ruled an accident, and the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries.

According to investigators, just before 3:30 a.m. on Monday, a Chevrolet Silverado with a trailer was traveling eastbound on Highway 62 when it hit a ditch and then collided with the cement underpart of the bridge at 34th Avenue.

The driver — identified by officers as a Wills Point, Texas man — suffered life-threatening injuries and is being treated at the Hennepin County Medical Center. Alcohol was detected on him, investigators said.

It is not clear if either of the two men were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, according to authorities.

Twitter account Midwest Safety shared traffic camera footage of the crash.

Following the initial fatal crash, a Minneapolis fire truck collided with a Minnesota State Patrol squad car at the scene. The two emergency vehicles were responding to the first crash and had their lights activated.

Both the trooper and fire truck driver suffered minor injuries in the secondary crash, authorities said.