MAHNOMEN — Two people died in separate car crashes in Mahnomen County on Tuesday, Sept. 16.
The Mahnomen County Sheriff's Office stated in a news release that a 17-year-old Waubun boy was killed in a rollover crash around 8:30 a.m., north of Waubun.
Responding officers found a pickup lying on its side in the roadway. The driver Cash Tibbetts was also found lying in the roadway. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The preliminary investigation determined Tibbetts was traveling at a high rate of speed while navigating a turn on a gravel road and lost control. He was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.
The second fatal crash was near the Mahnomen-Norman County line on Highway 200 around 7 p.m.
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, a 20-year-old Mahnomen man was reportedly intoxicated when he struck a tractor towing a piece of equipment. Passenger 53-year-old Robert Keezer was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver was arrested for driving while intoxicated and criminal vehicular homicide. The tractor driver was reportedly uninjured.
-
Extreme fire conditions caused some of the 17 wildfires burning in the Superior National Forest to rapidly spread July 13-14, 2026.
-
The library matched the anonymous matching donation for $30,000 it received in June 2026. A larger fundraising goal is aimed at increasing public hours in 2027.
-
Due to smoke from Boundary Waters wildfires, the MPCA issued air quality alerts for large parts of Minnesota. The alert lasts until at least Friday, July 16, 2026.
-
And: An Aitkin peat processor fined for air pollution control violations.
-
While it is expected to cool off slightly on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, temperatures will stay high enough that additional heat advisories may be put in place.
-
Nearly 9,000 acres are estimated to be burning in the BWCA as of July 13, 2026, and the closure is for public safety. The Boundary Waters is not expected to fully reopen this summer.
-
Severe drought is present in at least 11% of Minnesota and another 18% is in moderate drought. The drought conditions are mostly seen in Northern Minnesota.
-
Prairie Pines Childcare Center, the Northland Foundation and the Northwest Minnesota Foundation were awarded grants from the state Department of Employment and Economic Development.
-
Even with green plants and recent rainfall, large portions of the Northland are classified as in moderate or severe drought.
-
And: Four Northland organizations recieve child care grants; men encouraged to wear sunscreen and get skin checks; and Eveleth plans to replace the "Big Stick."