St. Croix County suffers first traffic fatality of 2013

NEW RICHMOND — St. Croix County recorded its first traffic fatality of 2013 Monday morning, April 15 when a St. Paul, MN man was killed in a two-vehicle accident just southwest of New Richmond on County Road A.

The St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call of a two-vehicle crash on County Trunk Highway A in the Town of Richmond about three-tenths of a mile north of County Road G around 5:41 am on April 15.

 Yeng Yang, 61, of St. Paul, MN was pronounced dead at the scene by the St. Croix County Medical Examiner’s Office. The driver of the other vehicle Kelly Wilcox, 31, of Maplewood, MN and her passenger, Allen Matheus, 35, of St. Paul, MN were injured in the crash.

A press release from the St. Croix Sheriff’s Department stated that a 1993 Toyota Camry, driven by Yeng Yang, was northbound on County Highway A when he apparently lost control on the roadway while trying to negotiate a curve. Yang’s car went sideways and entered the southbound lane of traffic where it was struck by a 2010 Chevrolet Impala driven by Kelly Wilcox in the passenger side. Both vehicles came to rest in the west ditch and partially blocked the southbound lane of traffic.

Road conditions appear to have been a factor in the accident as the sheriff’s report stated that the roadway was icy in spots when deputies arrived on the scene.

Wilcox was transported to Westfields Hospital in New Richmond while the passenger in the Wilcox car, Allen Matheus was transported to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, MN. The extent of Wilcox’s and Matheus’ injuries were unknown at press time Tuesday.

All three occupants were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident, the report stated.

The New Richmond Police Department, New Richmond Fire and Rescue, and New Richmond EMS assisted at the scene.
The crash remains under investigation by the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office.