ATV crashes into pair on Minnesota trail, leaving one dead

An ATV crash in central Minnesota left one person dead and three more injured in the early hours of Sunday.

The Stearns County Sheriff's Office said it was called to a crash on the Wobegon Trail east of Sauk Centre just after 12:20 a.m., where the caller said several people were injured and one not breathing.

Responders arrived to find three people – Kolten Kuhlmann, 23, Margaret Stepan, 35, and Scott Nathe, 50, all of Sauk Centre – severely injured, with Nathe the one not breathing.

Nathe was taken to Sauk Centre Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

A fourth victim, Wilder Kuhlmann, had been taken to Sauk Centre Hospital by private vehicle, and was later airlifted to St. Cloud Hospital for further treatment.

"The initial investigation determined that Wilder Kuhlmann was operating a 2020 Polaris Sportsman 850 HD Class 1 ATV with Kolten Kuhlmann sitting on the front rack, westbound along the Wobegon Trail, which is closed to motorized vehicle," the Stearns County Sheriff's Office said.

"The ATV struck Nathe and Stepan, sending both parties down a steep embankment on each side of the trail. Both Wilder and Kolten Kuhlmann were thrown from the ATV and ended up alongside the trail. The crash remains under investigation, and alcohol does appear to be a contributing factor."