Freak crash southwest of Twin Cities kills vacationing couple on motorcycle

A farm trailer broke free from a tractor southwest of the Twin Cities, hit a motorcycle and killed both its riders, authorities said.

The incident occurred shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday on Hwy. 19 in Arlington Township, about 20 miles west of Belle Plaine, the State Patrol said.

The patrol identified the couple killed as Marvin D. Fandrich, 60, and Kathy L. Fandrich, 61, of Aberdeen, S.D. Nicole Fandrich said Sunday morning on Facebook that her parents were on a family vacation at the time.

According to the patrol:

A tractor driven by Curtis M. Petzel, 60, of Arlington Township, was heading west on Hwy. 19 when the trailer separated from the tractor and struck the Fandriches' motorcycle in the eastbound lane. The trailer and the motorcycle came to rest in the eastbound ditch.

The Fandriches were wearing their helmets at the time, the patrol said. Petzel was not injured.

This is the second fatal crash Petzel has caused in less than two years, according to court records, and both resulted in motorcyclists being killed. The two wrecks occurred about 7 miles from each other.

In August 2017 on Main Avenue in Gaylord, Petzel drove his pickup truck into the back of a car and sent the vehicle into the path of a motorcycle coming the other way, the patrol said.

The collision killed Brian R. Severin, 59, of Gaylord. The car's driver survived her injuries.

Petzel was convicted of misdemeanor careless driving and fined $400. His year of probation stemming from that crash expired about six weeks ago.

Paul Walsh