Unbelted Denver man airlifted after T-bone crash east of Dalton

A familiar rural crossing east of Dalton is back in the spotlight after a stop-sign violation at County Highways 12 and 39 sent one driver to the hospital by Life Flight. The crash raises the question many Otter Tail County commuters know well: whether visibility, speed, or stop-control at that intersection are enough to turn an ordinary drive into a violent collision.

The Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office said 29-year-old Hernando Murillo of Denver was traveling south on County Highway 39 at about 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 29, when he failed to stop at the sign and T-boned a pickup towing a trailer. The pickup was driven by 59-year-old Andrew Lacy of Fergus Falls.

Deputies said Murillo was not wearing a seat belt and suffered severe chest injuries. He was airlifted to the hospital by Life Flight. Lacy was not hurt.

No charges had been filed, and the sheriff’s office said alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

The collision happened at County Highways 12 and 39, a spot that sits east of Dalton and serves drivers moving between smaller townships, farm roads and the larger travel corridors that thread through Otter Tail County. County transportation across the area mixes Interstate 94, trunk highways and a wide network of rural roads, and intersections like this one can become high-risk when drivers miss a stop sign or approach too quickly.

For families heading to school activities, commuters bound for Fergus Falls, and residents who use county roads every day, the crash is a reminder that a simple stop-controlled intersection can carry serious consequences. A single failure to stop was enough to send a pickup and trailer into a T-bone impact and leave one man with severe injuries.

The sheriff’s office said the investigation remained open as of the report.