3 Dead, 3 Injured Following 2-Vehicle Crash Near Northome

Originally aired Feb. 5, 2024

Three people died after a two-vehicle head-on collision near Northome yesterday.

The Minnesota State Patrol reports the crash happened on Highway 1 west of Koochiching County Road 15 around 11 in the morning. A pickup traveling west on Highway 1, driven by 24-year-old Riley Scheidecker of Bloomer, Wisconsin, collided with a pickup headed east on Highway 1 that was pulling a fish house. The second pickup was driven by 27-year-old Joseph Michael Carlson of North Branch.

The State Patrol tells Lakeland News that following the crash, the pickup pulling the fish house went into the eastbound ditch and caught fire. Scheidecker and Carlson both died at the scene, as did 27-year-old John Corazzo of Shoreview, Minnesota. Corazzo was a passenger in Carlson’s vehicle.

In addition, two passengers in Scheidecker’s vehicle suffered life-threatening injuries – 26-year-old Dolton Lee Johnson of Menomonie, Wisconsin and 26-year-old Thomas Ronald Johnson of Bloomer, Wisconsin. Dolton Johnson was taken to Sanford Bemidji Medical Center while Thomas Johnson was taken to a Fargo hospital. Their conditions are unknown.

A third passenger in Scheidecker’s truck, 26-year-old Levi Holum of Bloomer, Wisconsin, suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The State Patrol says it is unknown if alcohol was involved in the crash. Road conditions were listed as dry at the time of the collision.