Single-Vehicle Accident Causes Major Traffic Jam in Orono

A single vehicle accident on County Road 15 in Orono put rush hour commuters in park Tuesday. The accident occured near  and backed up traffic for several miles in both directions.

Orono Police Chief Correy Farniok said the vehicle ran off the road and struck a power pole—snapping the pole in two and causing live wires to hang about about eight feet off the ground over County Road 15 (Shoreline Drive).

"The road was closed due to the live power lines," Chief Farniok said. "Excel Energy was on scene quickly and needed the road closed until the pole could be moved and lines put back into place."

The accident was first reported by a community member on Lake Minnetonka Patch's Facebook page, and several residents sent e-mails to Patch sharing what they heard and saw yesterday.

"We got off of Hwy. 12 and barely onto the bridge on west 15 at 4:15 p.m. yesterday, when we came to a stop and just crawled our way up to Orono Orchard—where fire trucks had 15 blocked off," Sandra, an Orono resident, wrote in an e-mail to Patch. "Then we were forced to sit in more traffic on Fox/Willow until we got to Brown Road and could turn left to get to North Shore (51)." 

Sandra said her 45 minute leg typically takes less than 15 minutes.

Traffic was detoured around the accident scene, and the road was reopened around 7 p.m. 

Orono police report minor injuries and say the accident is currently under investigation.

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