MSP: 500+ vehicle crashes statewide Monday

(ABC 6 News) – The week started with much of Minnesota being blanketed with snow and ice which led to slippery road conditions and hundreds of vehicle crashes.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol (MSP), there was a total of at least 566 crashes statewide during peak travel times on Monday. 322 crashes from 6 a.m.-11 a.m. and 244 crashes from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Those numbers only represent areas where the State Patrol has jurisdiction; it is likely many more happened on roads in individual cities.

The Rochester Police department reported 37 crashes Monday — none fatal.

MSP reported 2 fatal crashes on Monday.

A 56-year-old Minneapolis woman was killed around 10:15 p.m. on an I-35 ramp in Hennepin County. The MSP says the woman appeared to have been merging onto North I-35 West from Hiawatha Avenue when she lost control of her car which then slid over a guardrail and into a bridge pillar. MSP says road conditions were snowy and icy at the time of the crash.

A 57-year-old Burnsville man was killed around 3:50 p.m. in Minnetonka when his vehicle lost control on eastbound Hwy 62, struck a concrete wall, and then collided with a school bus. There were 22 children on the bus, and none sustained any injuries. MSP says road conditions were snowy and icy at the time of the crash.

To view the latest road conditions across the state, CLICK HERE.

For the latest weather information, view the ABC 6 News Weather First page, HERE.