3rd person dies following head-on collision near Pine River

May 6—PINE RIVER, Minn. — A third person has died as a result of injuries suffered in a two-vehicle, head-on crash early Sunday, May 5, near Pine River.

The Minnesota State Patrol on Monday reported that Corey Stephen Peterson, 36, Brainerd, was one of three people who died in the crash between a Ford F150 pickup and a Pontiac G6. The other victims, identified Sunday, were Royal William Noe, 39, of Hillman, who was driving the Pontiac; and his passenger Heather Faye Ceballos, 50, of Brainerd. Peterson also was a passenger in the Pontiac.

The crash was reported at 12:38 a.m. Sunday near the intersection of 24th Street Southwest and 36th Avenue Southwest in Cass County.

Kyle Daniel Jones, 32, of Bayport, was driving a 2020 Ford F150 pickup west on 24th Street when the truck collided head-on with a 2008 Pontiac G6 traveling east on 24th Street. The vehicles came to rest near where they crashed, the Minnesota State Patrol reported, but few other details were listed in the initial crash report.

Jones and a passenger in the truck, Mandy Marie Tellinghuisen, 30, also of Bayport, both suffered life-threatening injuries and were transported to CHI St. Joseph's Health in Park Rapids. The State Patrol reported alcohol was involved with Jones.

One passenger in the Pontiac driven by Noe survived the crash but suffered life-threatening injuries. Kelly Lee Kuschel, 53, of Pine River, was taken to CHI St. Joseph's Health Center.

Airbags deployed in each vehicle, the State Patrol reported, but it was unknown whether seat belts were in use for any of those in the crash.

Road conditions were dry at the time.

North Memorial Health Ambulance and the Cass County Sheriff's Department assisted at the scene.