State Patrol: 3 teens injured in Hwy 7 crash caused by driver looking down at cell phone

A 17-year-old driver looking down at his cell phone caused a crash on Highway 7 near St. Bonifacius, Minnesota Wednesday night, sending at several people to the hospital, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

The crash occurred around 6:25 p.m. near the intersection of Hwy. 7 and County Road 155 in Watertown Township.

The State Patrol said the driver went into oncoming traffic on Hwy. 7 and his pickup sideswiped a tow truck that was hauling another vehicle, knocking it off the tow bed. He then hit a semi.

The driver was airlifted to Hennepin County Medical Center. His condition is unknown. The two passengers in his pickup truck, a 17-year-old Delano boy and a 17-year-old Montrose girl, were also taken to HCMC with life-threatening injuries.

The 44-year-old semi driver and the 27-year-old tow truck driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash remains under investigation.