Bemidji Man Dies in Downtown Car Crash Friday Night

A 25-year-old man has died in a car crash in Bemidji Friday night.

Richard Erickson of Bemidji died after his vehicle struck a traffic light at the intersection of 2nd Street NW and Paul Bunyan Drive. According to an incident report from the State Patrol, he was driving southbound on Paul Bunyan Drive and continued straight in a slight curve, striking the stoplight on the west side of the road.

The report also states that Erickson was not wearing his seatbelt and that alcohol was a factor in the crash. Road conditions were wet at the time.