Third victim listed in critical condition

Two people are dead and one in intensive care after their car crashed through a utility pole, fence and a walnut tree south of Austin early Saturday.

Jacob Moe, 32, and Luke Unverzagt, 32, died around 1:50 a.m. Saturday after the car they were in crashed south of Austin, according to Sheriff Terese Amazi. A third person, Jason Fredrickson, is in intensive care at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester as of Monday morning.

Amazi said the three had been in Lyle before going to a residence via a designated driver with their wives. At some point, the three decided to leave the residence, according to Amazi.

The three were driving northbound in a 2009 white Cadillac STS registered to Fredrickson on Fourth Street SE when they lost control of the car after passing County Road 28. The car crossed over into the westbound ditch where it traveled some distance before crashing through a utility pole, a fence and a tree, which Amazi described as “obliterated.” The car came to rest between two trees in Marsha Downey’s yard, 2810 Fourth Street SE.

Two were ejected from the vehicle, while one man was partially ejected. Deputies arrived on scene at around 1:50 a.m., where they pronounced Unverzagt dead. Moe and Fredrickson were taken to Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin, where Moe was later pronounced dead. Fredrickson was taken to St. Marys Saturday.

Amazi said it is unclear who was driving, but speed was a factor. Amazi did not know if alcohol was a factor in the crash but said toxicology and injury reports are being done and the accident is still under investigation. The Minnesota State Patrol performed accident reconstruction tests at the scene Saturday.

Downey said she awoke around 2 a.m. to emergency officials in her yard who stayed investigating the scene past sunrise.

An obituary for Moe ran in the Daily Herald Sunday, with Unverzagt’s obituary running Monday.

Memorial services for Moe will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Austin with Pastor Glenn Monson, officiating. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 27, at the Worlein Funeral Home and for one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday.

Funeral services for Unverzagt will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 29, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin with Pastors Kristi Koppel and Jonathan Unverzagt, co-officiating. Interment will follow the service at Oakwood Cemetery in Austin. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 28 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Worlein Funeral Home and for one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday.

 

— Jason Schoonover contributed to this report.