Several Injured in Highway 52 Crash Involving School Bus in Rochester

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - Several people were injured in a multi-vehicle wreck involving a school bus on Highway 52 in Rochester Friday morning that caused traffic to be backed up for several miles.

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The Minnesota State Patrol reports that two vehicles and a school bus were traveling south on the highway at Civic Center Drive when a vehicle in the right lane lost control and slid into the bus, which was in the center lane. That vehicle then collided with another vehicle in the right lane. The incident occurred just before 9:15 am.

Authorities said that there were seven minor injuries to children on the bus. All of the children on the bus were checked by Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service on the scene.

The driver of the vehicle that lost control, 67-year-old Deborah Guy, and a passenger, 75-year-old Richard Wegman, both of Rochester were injured. The driver of the other vehicle, 32-year-old Jolene Underdahl of Zumbro Falls, was also injured. All three were transported to St. Mary’s Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the school bus was not injured. He was identified as 68-year-old Jeffery Vilen of Zumbro Falls.

Reports indicate that traffic was backed up for several miles while crews responded to the crash. Below are two photos captured by MnDOT traffic cameras about one hour after the incident occurred.

Traffic was limited to one lane as crews cleared the highway. The State Patrol said that the road was snow/ice-covered at the time of the incident.