Six people injured in two-vehicle crash

The Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office responded to a two-vehicle crash at County Roads 6 and 9 in Goodhue Township at 10:24 a.m. Saturday.

According to the sheriff’s department, Brenda Jeche, 44, of Chatfield, Minn., was northbound on County Road 6 when she failed to stop at a stop sign. A passenger car driven by Ann Hernke, 24, of New Ulm, Minn., was eastbound on County Road 9 and struck Jeche’s vehicle in the intersection. Both vehicles went into the ditch.

Payton Riley, 19, of Chatfield, was ejected from Jeche’s vehicle and apparently wasn’t wearing a seat belt, law enforcement officials reported. Other passengers in the Jeche vehicle — Dennis Jeche, 48, and Ashley Jeche, 23, both of Chatfield — were wearing seat belts, as were a passenger in the Hernke vehicle, Cole Hernke, 26, of New Ulm, and both drivers.

Helicopters were unable to respond to the scene because of fog, so individuals were transported by Zumbrota and Red Wing ambulances to St. Marys Hospital in Rochester. Dennis Jeche, Ashley Jeche, Payton Riley, Ann Hernke and Cole Hernke suffered incapacitating or life-threatening injuries, while Brenda Jeche is reported to have possible injuries.

The Zumbrota Police Department and Goodhue Fire Department assisted at the scene. Officials said alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

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