On May 3, 2023, at 12:56 p.m., the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Center received a report of a two-vehicle crash with injuries on County Road 2 near County Road 139 in St. Joseph Township. The caller reported that a semi and a tractor were involved in the crash and that one person was injured. The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene, as well as, the St. Joseph Police Department, St. Joseph Rescue, Mayo Ambulance, and the Minnesota State Patrol.
Upon arrival at the scene, deputies located a semi, owned by Lang Feeds Inc. of Eden Valley operated by Kevin Lang, 62, of Richmond, and a tractor being operated by Delbert Bechtold, 55, of St. Joseph. The semi and tractor had both been traveling south on County Road 2 at the time of the crash. The tractor began to turn left into a field when the semi attempted to pass the tractor and struck the rear of the manure spreader. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
Lang was transported to the St. Cloud Hospital by ambulance for his injuries and Bechtold was not injured in the crash.