Two dead after crash involving loose tire from semi

(St. Michael, Minn.) – Two people are dead after the vehicle they were in collided with a tire from a semi on I-94 near Highway 241 near St. Michael.

The Minnesota State Patrol says just before 5 p.m.  Saturday, a 2019 Freightliner semi, driven by 37-year-old Khadar Hawadle, of Savage, Minn., was westbound on I-94 when the semi lost two tires. A 2023 Nissan Rogue, driven by 44-year-old Viengkhone Nguyen, of Brooklyn Park, Minn., was eastbound on I-94 when the vehicle collided with one of the tires from the Freightliner semi.

One passenger in Nguyen’s vehicle, 43-year-old Lea Khamphachanh, of St. Cloud, died as a result of the crash. Three other passengers were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Hawadle was the lone occupant of the Freightliner semi, and was not injured in the crash.