Nine in Family Killed in Crash
All nine members of an Osseo family were killed in a collision with a freight train late Friday, Anoka County's worst single-car traffic accident in recent history.
Roger Dale Smith, a 37-year-old construction foreman with Adolfson & Peterson, Inc., a Twin Cities contractor, apparently was driving his wife and seven children home from visiting friends about 10 p.m. when the collision occurred, according to sheriff's deputies.
The family includes Smith; his wife, Mary, 32, and their children: Susan, 12; Eugene, 11; Stephan, 8; Kevin,7; Daniel, 6; Angela, 3; and Joanne, 11 months. They lived at 125 3rd Av. SE., Osseo. A 16-year-old daughter by a previous marriage was reported to be living with relatives in Fergus Falls, Minn.
The Smiths' southbound station wagon was broken in two by a westbound Burlington-Northern train at a crossing on County Rd. 56, just north of Hwy. 10, about 4 miles west of Anoka.
The crossing was marked by a stop sign and a railroad crossing sign, but deputies indicated the car may not have stopped. Visibility was reported good, but Anoka County Coroner Joseph F. Wethington said the train's headlight may have blended in with other lights in the background from Anoka.
Dr. Wethington said the accident was the worst he has encountered in four years as coroner, and sheriff's deputies said they could not ever recall more persons killed in a single collision.
All nine members of an Osseo family were killed in a collision with a freight train late Friday, Anoka County's worst single-car traffic accident in recent history.
Roger Dale Smith, a 37-year-old construction foreman with Adolfson & Peterson, Inc., a Twin Cities contractor, apparently was driving his wife and seven children home from visiting friends about 10 p.m. when the collision occurred, according to sheriff's deputies.
The family includes Smith; his wife, Mary, 32, and their children: Susan, 12; Eugene, 11; Stephan, 8; Kevin,7; Daniel, 6; Angela, 3; and Joanne, 11 months. They lived at 125 3rd Av. SE., Osseo. A 16-year-old daughter by a previous marriage was reported to be living with relatives in Fergus Falls, Minn.
The Smiths' southbound station wagon was broken in two by a westbound Burlington-Northern train at a crossing on County Rd. 56, just north of Hwy. 10, about 4 miles west of Anoka.
The crossing was marked by a stop sign and a railroad crossing sign, but deputies indicated the car may not have stopped. Visibility was reported good, but Anoka County Coroner Joseph F. Wethington said the train's headlight may have blended in with other lights in the background from Anoka.
Dr. Wethington said the accident was the worst he has encountered in four years as coroner, and sheriff's deputies said they could not ever recall more persons killed in a single collision.
Nine in Family Killed in Crash
All nine members of an Osseo family were killed in a collision with a freight train late Friday, Anoka County's worst single-car traffic accident in recent history.
Roger Dale Smith, a 37-year-old construction foreman with Adolfson & Peterson, Inc., a Twin Cities contractor, apparently was driving his wife and seven children home from visiting friends about 10 p.m. when the collision occurred, according to sheriff's deputies.
The family includes Smith; his wife, Mary, 32, and their children: Susan, 12; Eugene, 11; Stephan, 8; Kevin,7; Daniel, 6; Angela, 3; and Joanne, 11 months. They lived at 125 3rd Av. SE., Osseo. A 16-year-old daughter by a previous marriage was reported to be living with relatives in Fergus Falls, Minn.
The Smiths' southbound station wagon was broken in two by a westbound Burlington-Northern train at a crossing on County Rd. 56, just north of Hwy. 10, about 4 miles west of Anoka.
The crossing was marked by a stop sign and a railroad crossing sign, but deputies indicated the car may not have stopped. Visibility was reported good, but Anoka County Coroner Joseph F. Wethington said the train's headlight may have blended in with other lights in the background from Anoka.
Dr. Wethington said the accident was the worst he has encountered in four years as coroner, and sheriff's deputies said they could not ever recall more persons killed in a single collision.
All nine members of an Osseo family were killed in a collision with a freight train late Friday, Anoka County's worst single-car traffic accident in recent history.
Roger Dale Smith, a 37-year-old construction foreman with Adolfson & Peterson, Inc., a Twin Cities contractor, apparently was driving his wife and seven children home from visiting friends about 10 p.m. when the collision occurred, according to sheriff's deputies.
The family includes Smith; his wife, Mary, 32, and their children: Susan, 12; Eugene, 11; Stephan, 8; Kevin,7; Daniel, 6; Angela, 3; and Joanne, 11 months. They lived at 125 3rd Av. SE., Osseo. A 16-year-old daughter by a previous marriage was reported to be living with relatives in Fergus Falls, Minn.
The Smiths' southbound station wagon was broken in two by a westbound Burlington-Northern train at a crossing on County Rd. 56, just north of Hwy. 10, about 4 miles west of Anoka.
The crossing was marked by a stop sign and a railroad crossing sign, but deputies indicated the car may not have stopped. Visibility was reported good, but Anoka County Coroner Joseph F. Wethington said the train's headlight may have blended in with other lights in the background from Anoka.
Dr. Wethington said the accident was the worst he has encountered in four years as coroner, and sheriff's deputies said they could not ever recall more persons killed in a single collision.
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