Dump truck hits van in Henrietta Twp.

A dump truck collided with a commercial van Monday, Sept. 25 at the intersection of County 4 and County 18 in Henrietta Township.

According to a Hubbard County Sheriff’s Office crash report, the vehicles involved were a 2014 Chevrolet Express G1500 van, owned by William Warner of Sebeka and Warner Garage Door, Inc. of New York Mills, and a 2002 Sterling LT dump truck, owned by Todd Sanquist with Ralph V. Sanquist Construction, Inc. of Park Rapids.

The dump truck had a gross weight of over 26,000 pounds, the report states.

The accident occurred at approximately 3:47 p.m. when the Chevy van, driven by Colby Graphenteen, 22, of Sebeka, was northbound on County 4. According to the report, it was approaching the intersection with County 18 when the Sterling truck, driven by Douglas Brucer, 33, of Park Rapids, approached traveling east on County 18.

According to the report, Graphenteen told investigators that Brucer rolled through the stop sign on County 18. Meanwhile, Brucer said he stopped, but the van was in his blind spot, so he began to go through the intersection.

The report states that Brucer saw the van at the last second and attempted to maneuver around it, but was unsuccessful. The truck hit the van on the driver’s side near the middle of the vehicle.

Airbags deployed in the van, but not in the truck, the report states. Both drivers were using lap and shoulder belts.

Graphenteen was transported by ambulance due to a possible injury, while Brucer sustained no apparent injury.

According to the report, neither driver was speeding or driving distracted. No drug or alcohol use was suspected. Daylight conditions were clear and the roadway was dry. However, the crash report describes Brucer’s failure to yield the right-of-way as a contributing factor in the accident.

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