Cloquet man sustains injuries after vehicle hits tree

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A Cloquet man was taken to Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) on Monday following a one-car accident near Esko.

Shane Kenneth Colemer, 22, sustained unknown injuries in the incident, which was reported to Carlton County Dispatch at approximately 3:20 p.m. by witnesses.

According to the initial report by the Carlton County Sheriff’s office, witnesses to the accident told Dispatch that a driver had run off the road near the intersection of Highway 61 and Pantsar Road in Thomson Township.

Emergency responders discovered that a maroon Chevrolet Suburban had hit a tree. One witness to the accident stated she’d been traveling eastbound on Highway 61 when she noticed the Suburban coming up behind her at what appeared to be a high rate of speed, estimated to be around 70-80 miles an hour. Then, as she observed the Suburban in her rear view mirror, she said it crossed over the center median area and into the oncoming lane of traffic, nearly striking a dump truck before traveling into the north ditch and striking a tree. The witness turned around and went back to the scene of the accident to check on the driver, who she said appeared to have an injury to his ankle and his face was bleeding.

The driver of the dump truck told authorities she had been traveling westbound on Highway 61 when she also noted the driver of the Suburban travelling at a high rate of speed. She said as the Suburban crossed into the median, it barely avoided striking the dump truck she was driving. She stated the Suburban then veered into the ditch and hit the tree.

A third witness, also a dump truck driver, stated to authorities that Colemer’s Suburban had come within only a couple of feet of hitting the first dump truck.

Colemar was extricated from the Suburban by Esko and Cloquet fire personnel and transported to CMH by ambulance, where he consented to providing a blood sample to authorities.

The accident remains under investigation, and there is no further word on Colemer’s condition.

Tags: carlton county, cloquet, esko