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A rural Clarks Grove woman was injured Saturday morning after an SUV and train collided north of Clarks Grove. 

Therese Thorstenson, 66, was taken by Mayo Ambulance to Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea for minor injuries, according to the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office. 

The Sheriff’s Office stated the crash occurred at 9:05 a.m. on the Union Pacific railroad tracks near 770th Avenue and 290th Street. When deputies arrived, the train had stopped, and there was a 2003 Cadillac Escalade in the north ditch facing west with extensive front-end damage. 

The Sheriff’s Office stated Thorstenson was driving the Escalade northbound on 770th Avenue parallel to the train, which was also north on the tracks. The engineer could reportedly see the woman approaching and looking up at them, and reportedly gave two short warnings that it was approaching the intersection with 290th Street. As the horn sounded a third time, the vehicle reportedly turned west on 290th Street and then was struck by the train on the driver’s side front fender. 

The SUV spun, knocked out a railroad crossing pole and ended up in the ditch.