Details on Last Week's Crash on Hwy. 12

West Hennepin Public Safety responded to a report of a vehicle rear-end crash in the area of Highway 12 and County Road 92 South at approximately 11:40 a.m. on Tuesday, September 3rd in the City of Independence.

Arriving officers found two vehicles involved. A white full size van was in the middle of the intersection facing west with extreme front end damage and a white Ford truck with extensive rear end damage was in the southwest corner of the intersection.

Jeffrey Arendt, 51, from Maple Plain was in the westbound lane and stopped waiting to make a left hand turn to go south on Co Rd 92 when driver Steven Maslowski, 25, from Maplewood rear-ended his vehicle.

Maslowski stated he had looked down at some of his paperwork for a second and did not see the cars ahead of him going around a vehicle waiting to make a left hand turn to go south on County Road 92. Maslowski’s van struck Arendt’s truck. Front airbags in both vehicles deployed. Maslowski was wearing his seatbelt and was able to walk from his vehicle to the roadside.

Both drivers were injured. Arendt had neck and back injuries and his wife transported him to the hospital to get checked out. Maslowski had leg pain, pain in both arms and dizziness. Maslowski was transported to North Memorial Hospital by North Ambulance. 

Both vehicles had extensive damage, could not be driven and were towed from the scene. Charges are pending for Maslowski as a result of this crash.

Director Ray McCoy said, ‘This crash is a very good example of why it is so important to wear seatbelts. The proper use of seatbelts prevented serious injury or death.’

WHPS was assisted by Medina Police Department and North Memorial Ambulance. Maple Plain Fire Department aided with assisting the injured drivers and diverting traffic on Highway 12 for approximately one hour.