Multiple injuries after pickup crashes into spectator shuttle bus at 3M Open tournament

Multiple people had to be taken to the hospital after a pickup truck crashed into a shuttle bus full of spectators at the 3M Open Tournament last weekend.

The collision happened just before noon on Sunday, July 25, the final day of the tournament at TPC Twin Cities, according to the Blaine Police Department's incident report. 

The 58-year-old driver of a pickup truck told officers he was heading southbound on Radisson at Tournament Players Parkway and had a green light, noting the semaphores installed for the golf tournament. As he traveled through the intersection, a shuttle bus that was bringing fans to the event turned left in front of him.

The driver said he was unable to stop, and crashed into the right side of the Ford F550 Premier Transportation shuttle bus, according to police. The bus, which was being driven by an 80-year-old from Minnetonka, "failed to yield," the incident report says.

The pickup driver suffered cuts and abrasions to his face and arms but didn't want to be taken to the hospital. Overall the Blaine Police Department listed 25 people as involved in the crash, and noted multiple people were transported by ambulance to the hospital. 

Mike Welch, the 3M Open tournament director, said in a statement to Bring Me The News they were aware of the crash and have been in communication with authorities about it. 

"Our thoughts are with the passengers and their families who were involved in the accident," he said.

Among those on the shuttle bus was Mike Murphy, the mayor of Lexington, Minnesota, who recently announced a run for governor, as well as his wife, Gloria.

In an email to supporters earlier this week, Murphy — running as a conservative and touting his A+ NRA rating — called the crash "widely underreported at the moment." His campaign said the shuttle bus "nearly flipped on its side" from the impact, adding some passengers "were violently thrown from their seats."

Murphy, according the the police incident report, told officers he had "pain up and down his entire left side," but declined transport to the hospital. Instead, an officer took he and his wife — who did not report any injuries — to their car at the airport.

Murphy in this week's email said he was "pretty banged up" and was taking a few days off from the campaign.