Report: Alcohol, drugs not a factor in Minnesota senators' snowmobile crash

Two Minnesota state senators involved in a snowmobile crash that seriously injured one of them Friday said they had not used alcohol or drugs before the accident, according to incident reports provided by Morrison County.

According to the Morrison County Sheriff's Office, Sens. John Jasinski, R-Faribault, and Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, were riding in a group on a marked snowmobile trail near Motley, Minn., when they approached a 90-degree left turn.

"Jasinski entered the turn at a speed to cause him to be thrown from his machine, causing injuries," the report said. Johnson, who was riding behind Jasinski, then collided with Jasinski's snowmobile, according to the report.

Both men were traveling at 10 mph, according to an incident report from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Neither reported using drugs or alcohol, though no chemical testing was done.

Both senators said in statements Monday that they were attending the Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association Winter Rendezvous, which took place Feb. 3-6 at Cragun's Resort in Brainerd.

The sequence of events described in the incident reports matches an updated news release Monday from the Sheriff's Office. An earlier news release described the incident differently, reporting that as the two approached the turn, Johnson rear-ended Jasinski, causing him to be thrown from his snowmobile.

Jasinski suffered several injuries in the crash, including three broken ribs, a broken pelvis and fractured vertebrae, according to his statement. Jasinski, an assistant majority leader who chairs the Senate Local Government Policy Committee, said in the statement that he plans to "fully engage in this session" via remote access to hearings and floor sessions.