Two-vehicle collision near Prior Lake leaves 1 driver dead, the other badly injured

A two-vehicle collision near Prior Lake has left one driver dead and another severely injured, authorities said.

The crash occurred about 12:35 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of County Road 79 and Hwy. 282 on the eastern edge of Sand Creek Township, the State Patrol said.

The driver who died was identified as Vernon F. Rutzen, 92, of Robbinsdale. The other driver, Lori Lynn Borchardt, 60, of Belle Plaine, suffered life-threatening injuries, the patrol said.

The patrol said that Rutzen failed to obey at stop sign about 5 miles southwest of Prior Lake as he headed north on County Road 79 and collided with Borchardt's SUV. The impact set Rutzen's car ablaze.

Rutzen was taken by emergency medical personnel to HCMC and died there. Borchardt was transported to North Memorial Health Hospital in Robbinsdale.