On November 8, 2020, at approximately 4:30 p.m., the Cloquet Police Department responded to a single-vehicle crash report in the 1500 block of White Pine Trail.
Officers located a 2004 Chevy Impala on each side of White Pine Trail. Early reports suggest that the vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree, splitting the car in half.
The victims, a three-year-old boy, was deceased at the scene. CAFD ambulance transported a five-year-old girl to Essentia. Her condition is unknown at this time.
Both victims appear to have been secured in child safety seats at the time of the crash.
The vehicle driver, a 26-year-old woman from Onamia, Minnesota, was transported to Essentia and was later released.
Officers took the driver into custody and lodged at the Carlton County Jail, where she was charged with Criminal Vehicular Homicide, Criminal Vehicle Operation, and two counts of Child Endangerment. Formal charges are pending by the Carlton County Attorney’s Office.
The Minnesota State Patrol is reconstructing the crash. Early indications are that speed and impairment are potential factors.
CPD was assisted by the Fond du Lac Police Department, Cloquet Area Fire District, Carlton County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota State Patrol, and the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office.
