Minnesota State Patrol: 683 crashes, 662 spinouts since snowfall began

(FOX 9) - As the snow began falling Friday, Minnesota drivers reported slippery conditions throughout the state.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, between 5 a.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Saturday, there were 683 crashes and 662 spinouts statewide. There were at least 67 crashes involving injuries, one death and one serious injury.

Troopers say the death came Saturday evening as a snowmobiler was hit while crossing Highway 169 in northern Minnesota.

At about 9:23 p.m. Friday, a Hyundai Sonata was traveling southbound on I-35 East when it hit a truck head-on at the Highway 52 southbound ramp. The passenger in the car, a 34-year-old woman, suffered life-threatening injuries. The driver was not injured.

Authorities say alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

Meanwhile, though the snow has stopped falling, wind gusts could reach up to 50 mph in some parts of the state Saturday afternoon, compromising visibility.  There is a Blizzard Warning in effect for parts of western and southern Minnesota, generally south of a line from Fergus Falls to Willmar to St. Peter.