80-year-old Driver Dies in Wrong-Way Crash on Highway 52

Oct 15

*The scene of a wrong-way crash on Hwy. 52 in Inver Grove Heights on Tuesday, Oct. 14.* ***MN CRIME PHOTO***

An 80-year-old woman died and another driver was hurt in a wrong-way, head-on crash late Tuesday night on Highway 52 in Inver Grove Heights.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, Phillis Lucille Deboth, of Cottage Grove, was driving a 2007 Saturn Vue southbound in the northbound lanes when she struck a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado at 80th Street around 9:54 p.m.

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Deboth was not wearing a seat belt and suffered fatal injuries. She was pronounced dead a short time later, according to an incident report.

The driver of the Silverado, a 60-year-old man from Birchwood, Wisc., was wearing his seat belt and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. He was taken to Regions Hospital in Saint Paul.

Radio traffic indicated that emergency crews performed CPR on Deboth at the scene, though she did not survive her injuries.

The State Patrol said neither alcohol nor drugs were involved and road conditions were wet at the time of the crash.

Inver Grove Heights police and fire crews, M Health EMS and the Minnesota Department of Transportation assisted at the scene. Northbound lanes of Highway 52 were closed for several hours while crash reconstruction investigators worked through the night.

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