Sheriff’s Department Identifies Woman Who Died After Morning Crash

The Rice County Sheriff’s Department has identified the woman who died as result of Thursday morning’s car-versus-pedestrian crash on 80th Street West near the Highway 19-Interstate 35 interchange.

Kimberly Motzko, 48, of rural Northfield, died in an operating room at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis at 10:28 a.m. She was airlifted to Minneapolis after being critically injured in the 8:08 a.m. crash.

The sheriff’s department, with assistance from the Minnesota State Patrol, continues to investigate the cause of the crash, according to a news release issued Thursday afternoon by Sheriff Troy Dunn.

According to the news release:

Lonsdale Fire-Rescue and Northfield Ambulance were dispatched to the 2000 block of 80th Street West in Webster Township at 8:08 a.m. Once on the scene, emergency personnel found Motzko in a ditch on the south side of the road. She was treated at the scene, then transported to Hennepin County Medical Center by North Memorial Air Care.

Motzko reportedly was walking her dogs along 80th when she was struck by a 2009 Volkswagen Routan minivan heading eastbound.

The driver of the vehicle, Michael Moreland of rural Northfield, and a 10-year-old male passenger were transported by Northfield Ambulance to for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, the press release says.

for the earlier version of this story.

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