Thursday evening rush hour in Duluth turned to standstill traffic after multiple crashes occurred on Interstate 35, with at least one person injured.
Kara Hurd was going north to her work shift at the Ledge Rock Grille in Two Harbors. Approaching the tunnels in eastern Duluth, she saw a series of tail lights flicker on in front of her - prompting her to slam on her brakes as well.
“Then I looked in the rearview mirror and I saw the car behind me didn’t slow down,” said Hurd.
When the other vehicle collided with the back of hers, Hurd said she spun backward across the other lane, hitting the median and by the “grace of God, did not get struck by another vehicle.”
“I guess my guardian angel was working overtime,” she said.
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Hurd went to a local hospital where she was treated and released.
The Minnesota State Patrol also reported that a property damage crash occurred at 5:13 p.m. on Northbound I-35 at 21st Avenue East. A vehicle struck the wall by the Edgewater Hotel, and parties from the crash were driven to the Holiday Gas Station, a spokesperson for the State Patrol told the News Tribune in an email.
Around the same time, yet another crash at 14th Avenue West was visible on MnDOT traffic cameras. Authorities did not provide details regarding that crash by press time.
Hurd complimented the timeliness of the police and the emergency response crew. After the officer came and took her statement, making sure everything checked out, she said he had to go and “check on three other accidents.”
“It was really busy up there,” she said.
