Man killed in crash involving MnDOT truck remembered as 'a joy to be around'

Authorities have identified the man killed in a crash involving a Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) truck last week.

Samuel Spratt of Richfield was behind the wheel of a Nissan Versa around 8:30 p.m. on May 19. The 25-year-old was heading southbound in I-35W near 50th Street in Minneapolis, where MnDOT trucks were doing debris clean up on the right-hand shoulder, emergency lights illuminated.

According to the State Patrol's incident report, traffic was slowing down and merging to the left. Spratt allegedly overcorrected because of the reduced speed, and in the process, lost control. The Versa then went back across the slowed traffic, made impact with a MnDOT truck, then hit the concrete sound wall.  

Spratt was wearing a seat belt, and the State Patrol report says alcohol was not involved. He died from multiple blunt force injuries, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner said in ruling his death an accident.

In an obituary, Spratt is remembered as "crazy smart, handsome, funny, incredibly loveable and a joy to be around," someone who was "loved by so many people."

"He was taken from us way too soon and will be deeply missed every second of every day," the obituary reads.

Two individuals - a 40-year-old from Eagan, and a 23-year-old from St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin - were in the MnDOT truck. Neither suffered any injuries.

The Department of Public Safety says there have been 144 traffic fatalities to date in Minnesota in 2021. Last year at this time there had been 98.