Minnesota woman identified in fatal crash northwest of Brandon

BRANDON, S.D. (Press Release) – A Luverne, MN woman has been identified as the person who died Tuesday morning in a four-vehicle crash that occurred on Interstate 90 northwest of Brandon.

The crash happened as a 2014 Chevrolet Impala, a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and a 2013 GMC Terrain were westbound on Interstate 90 and were almost stopped in the passing lane as traffic was merging into that lane due to road construction. A 2011 Peterbilt Conventional box truck was westbound in the driving lane. The truck moved over to the passing lane and then swerved back into the driving lane after hitting the GMC Terrain. The truck rear-ended the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the truck then pushed the Chevrolet Impala into the grass median. The truck went into the grass median, across the eastbound lanes and came to rest in the south ditch of the eastbound lanes.

Brooke Thompson, 22, was the driver of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Melissa Edmundson of Garretson, the  57-year-old driver of the GMC Terrain, suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. Anell Knudson of Sioux Fall, S.D., 34, was the female passenger in the truck and sustained minor injuries. Both were transported by ambulance to a Sioux Falls hospital.

The other two drivers were not injured. Seatbelts appeared to have been used by all of those involved. Charges are pending against the truck driver, 34-year-old Nicholas Floyd of Bruce.

South Dakota’s Highway Patrol continues to investigate the crash. The Highway Patrol is part of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.