Three Vehicle Crash on Highway 71

According to the State patrol a three-vehicle crash was reported at 8:34 a.m. at Milepost 322 on U.S. Highway 71 in Beltrami County. The crashed involved a 1996 Chevy Blazer driven by 35 year old Christipher Miranda of Stacy, Minn and a 1997 Chevy Pickup driven by Mitchell Preston 44, of Bemidji. The crashed happened when Miranda was driving southbound on Highway 71 and hit Mitchel who was waiting to turn left.

The collision caused Preston to rear end a stopped 2002 Bravada, driven by Sandra Knotts, 45 of Bemidji, who was also waiting to turn left. According to the State Patrol Miranda had been looking down at the time of the accident.

Miranda was taken to the Sanford Bemidji Medical Center with non-life threatening injury. Mitchell Preston did not suffer from any injury, but his passenger 75-year- old Dorthy Preston was taken to Sanford Bemidji with non life threatening injuries. Knotts and her passenger Rebecca Thorson, 63, of Tensrike , suffered from no injuries.