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St. Louis County deputy, Orr man injured in 2-vehicle crash

A St. Louis County Sheriff's Office squad car after a two-vehicle crash near Cook on July 1, 2026. Both drivers were injured in the crash.
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St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay
A St. Louis County Sheriff's Office squad car after a two-vehicle crash near Cook on July 1, 2026. Both drivers were injured in the crash.

The vehicles collided at an intersection near Cook on July 1, 2026. Ayden Houde, 20, of Orr suffered life-threatening injuries.

COOK — An Orr man suffered life-threatening injuries in a two-vehicle crash with a St. Louis County deputy, who was also injured, Wednesday, July 1, near Cook.

According to details from the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office and Minnesota State Patrol, the deputy, 50-year-old Brett Lucas of Britt, was patrolling in a marked squad SUV, driving westbound on Highway 1, about 2 miles northwest of Cook. Around 8 p.m., he was struck by a pickup truck in an intersection.

The pickup, driven by Ayden Houde, 20, of Orr, was traveling south on Samuelson Road and failed to stop at a stop sign, according to the state patrol.

Houde was transported to the Essentia Health hospital in Duluth for treatment of life-threatening injuries.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by the state patrol. Both were wearing seatbelts at the time.

Deputy Lucas was treated at Cook Hospital.

“We are grateful his injuries do not appear to be life-threatening and wish him a quick and complete recovery,” stated St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay in a news release.

The Cook Ambulance, Cook Fire Department, St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, Breitung Police and the Bureau of Indian Affairs assisted at the scene.

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