Montana man killed in St. Croix County crash

WARREN TOWNSHIP — A Montana man became St. Croix County’s fifth traffic fatality of 2015 when he died in a two-vehicle accident Sunday afternoon, March 29 at the intersection of County Highway E and State Highway 65 in the Town of Warren.

30-year-old Jason T. Collins of Glendive, Montana was killed when he failed to stop at a stop sign at County Highway E and was struck by a southbound truck on State Highway 65. The St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office was notified of the accident at 3:28 p.m.

According to the initial investigation by the Sheriff’s Office, it appeared that Collins, who was driving a 1998 Volkswagen Jetta, had been traveling east on County Highway E when he failed to stop for a stop sign at the intersection of State Highway 65 and crossed into the path of a southbound 2013 Ford F-350 pick-up truck, driven by Eric J. Clay, 34 of Hudson, WI, and was struck.

The collision caused Collins’ vehicle to roll into a field on the southeast corner of the intersection where it came to rest.

The truck also came to rest in the same field, said the Sheriff’s Office news release.

Collins, who was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, was pronounced dead at the scene by the St. Croix County Medical Examiner.

Clay and his passenger, Richard J. Clay, 67 of River Falls, WI, were evaluated at the scene by EMS personnel and released. The Clays were both wearing seat belts when the accident occurred.

The St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Roberts Fire and Rescue squads and the New Richmond EMS.

The crash remains under investigation.