Driver jailed in fatal fire truck crash on Minnesota freeway

Two firefighters have been killed and several others injured in a fatal crash in Blaine, Minnesota on Saturday.

Michael Johnson, 28, of Baraga, is now in the Anoka County Jail after crashing a truck that killed 25-year-old Alan J. Swartz of Baraga, and 23-year-old James F. Shelifoe of Baraga, and also injured several others. He has not been charged.

Johnson is charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide for gross negligence.

Johnson is scheduled to be arraigned in Anoka County District Court Monday.

Twenty-five-year-old Alan Swartz and 23-year-old James Shelifoe Jr. died.

Four of the seven other men injured in the crash are still in the hospital. The truck carrying the firefighters drifted off the right shoulder, struck the median cable barriers and rolled.

“Police say there were nine people in the vehicle, which the Star Tribune said belonged to the Beartown Firefighters in Baraga, Michigan, and was headed to fight the Box Canyon wildfire in Utah”.

Witnesses on I-35W said they saw all three trucks traveling 80 to 90 miles per hour in a 70 miles per hour zone.

Be Civil – It’s OK to have a difference in opinion but there’s no need to be a jerk. If you would like to discuss another topic, look for a relevant article.

Be proactive – Use the “Flag as Inappropriate” link at the upper right corner of each comment to let us know of abusive posts.