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Both drivers killed in head-on crash on Hwy 169 near Grand Rapids

Police lights and sirens
Scott Rodgerson
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Unsplash

A portion of the highway was shut down and traffic diverted on June 28, 2026, following a two-vehicle collision in which both drivers died.

GRAND RAPIDS — A portion of Highway 169 near Grand Rapids was shut down and traffic diverted on Sunday, June 28, following a head-on collision in which two people died.

The crash was reported about 12:30 p.m. near Victory Lane, just south of city limits.

The Minnesota State Patrol reported a Lexus RX SUV was traveling south and a Ford Explorer SUV was traveling north when they collided.

The drivers in both vehicles were killed: 24-year-old McKenna J. Christensen of Luck, Wisconsin, and 83-year-old Carole R. Wiss of Grand Rapids. Both were wearing seatbelts. The road was dry at the time, according to the crash report.

Assisting at the scene were the Itasca County Sheriff's Office, the Grand Rapids Police Department, Grand Rapids and Cohasset fire departments, North Memorial Health ambulance and the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

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