LYND — A head-on crash between a minivan and a shuttle bus has killed three people and seriously injured three others in southwestern Minnesota.

A Dodge Caravan was driving eastbound on Minnesota Highway 23 when it entered the westbound lane and struck a Ford CTV mini bus near Lynd around 3 p.m. Wednesday, the Minnesota State Patrol reported.

Authorities said the driver of the van, Robert McClain, 80, of Marshall, and his wife, Shirley McClain, 72, died at the scene.

A bus passenger, Phyllis Behnke, 88, of Arco, died at a hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The bus driver and two other passengers on the bus were taken to hospitals with serious injuries. The patrol says the road was dry at the time.

 

4 hurt in Nicollet County

FORT RIDGLEY — Four young adults suffered injuries after their car left the road and struck trees near Fort Ridgley State Park in far western Nicollet County Thursday morning.

Victor Pennington, 19, of New Ulm, was driving a Nissan Altima south on Highway 4 when he lost control just after 6 a.m. The Nissan entered the ditch and struck several trees, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

Alcohol was detected in Pennington, the patrol stated. He and passengers Amanda Calvert, 19, of New Ulm; Naomi Hatfield, 19, of Madison Lake; and Molly Shaul, 18, of New Ulm, were all taken to the Sleepy Eye Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Nissan received severe damage. Road conditions on the two-lane highway were listed as “wet.” Sheriffs’ deputies from both Brown and Nicollet counties also responded to the crash.