Second body recovered

MENOMONIE – Divers from the Hudson Dive Team recovered a second body from the Red Cedar River following a crash last Tuesday, March 5 when a semi tractor and trailer left the I-94 roadway near Menomonie and plunged into the Red Cedar River.

Authorities found the body of co-driver Mohammed O. Malin, 26, of Minneapolis, MN Wednesday afternoon, March 6 – the day after the crash. Another Minneapolis man, Siyad A. Batrodin, 25, was also killed in the accident. Siyad was driving the 2006 Freightliner when the accident occurred around 3:48 am on March 5. His body was discovered in the cab of the tractor when it was pulled from the waters of the Red Cedar River later that same day.

The semi was owned by Dashman’s Transport out of Lansing, Michigan.

Reports stated that the semi tractor-trailer was traveling westbound on Interstate 94 during the early morning March 5 snow storm when it apparently left the roadway, entered the median and then went off the embankment between the bridges and plunged into the icy waters of the Red Cedar River.

Several agencies responded to the scene including the Wisconsin State patrol, Dunn County Sheriff’s Department, Menomonie Police Department, the Hudson Dive Team, and wrecker companies.

The left eastbound lane was closed for a few days following the accident as workers continued to clear debris from the river.