Menahga woman suffers fractured neck, leg after driver blows through stop sign

A 33-year-old suffered a fractured neck and leg, as well as a broken ankle, after authorities say an unlicensed driver blew a stop sign.

Alisha Meidinger, of Menagha, was in a Chevy SUV heading westbound on County Highway 8 around 6:10 a.m. Thursday morning, according to the Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office. A second vehicle, being driven by a 34-year-old from Perham, was traveling northbound in a pickup on County Highway 53, and at County Highway 8 failed to stop at a stop sign, the sheriff's office said.

At the intersection Meidinger crashed into the side of the pickup, causing her SUV to roll several times and then strike a utility pole, according to authorities. Meidinger was the only one in the car and suffered multiple injuries, including a fractured neck, a fractured leg and a broken ankle. She was taken to Perham Health and later transferred to Fargo.

Four side air bags deployed in the pickup, which had two passengers (a 45-year-old from Willmar and a 23-year-old from Perham) in addition to the driver. All three were injured, though the sheriff's office did not indicate the severity.

The driver was, however, arrested on suspicion of criminal vehicular operation, with the Otter Tail County Sheriff saying they ran a stop sign and did not have a Minnesota's driver's license.