At least three of the eight people injured in a one-van rollover accident Saturday morning near Jackson were not wearing their seatbelts.
Two of the three unbelted were seriously injured in the rollover, including Mariella Gallardo, 26, of Houston, who suffered serious face, neck and back injuries when she was ejected from the vehicle and landed in the middle of the eastbound lane of traffic.
Results of a Minnesota State Patrol investigation were released Sunday evening, a day and a half after a 2001 Ford van carrying eight members of an El Salvadorian musical group touring the United States flipped off Interstate 90 just west of the Jackson exit and rolled into the median. The rollover happened on an icy roadway just after 7:45 Saturday morning.
Troopers say the van was traveling eastbound on I-90 when driver Mario R. Tobar, 40, of San Salvador, lost control on the slick concrete. The van flipped, troopers said, rolled along the metal guardrail and into the median where it came to rest upside down. Tobar, who troopers say was wearing his seatbelt, was transported by ambulance to Sanford-Jackson Medical Center and then transferred to Sanford in Sioux Falls, S.D., with a facial injury. Troopers termed his injuries “non-serious” and “non-life-threatening.”
Other band members did not fare as well.
William E. Gonzalez, 42, of San Salvador, was rushed by ambulance to Fairmont Medical Center and then airlifted to Mayo Clinic in Rochester with severe injuries to his hands and foot. Late Sunday, he was listed in critical condition. Troopers say it is unknown if Gonzalez was buckled.
Also listed in critical condition late Sunday was Jose R. Herrera, 45, of San Salvador, who was transported by ambulance to Sanford JMC before being airlifted to Sanford in Sioux Falls with severe head injuries. Herrera was not wearing a seatbelt.
Others injured included Salvador O. Cortez, 39, of Houston, who was treated for cuts, bumps and bruises at Fairmont Medical Center before being released; Samuel Sarcino, 26, of San Salvador, who was treated for a sore back and head at Fairmont Medical Center and released; Edwin A. Beltran, 40, of San Salvador, who treated for a sore leg at Sanford JMC and released; and Marvin A. Gomez, 29, of San Salvador, who was transported by ambulance to Sanford JMC and later transferred to Sanford in Sioux Falls with cuts, bumps and bruises. On Sunday evening, Gomez’s condition was listed as “non-serious” and his injuries termed “non-life-threatening.”
Troopers said Beltran was not wearing his seatbelt. It was unknown if Cortez, Sarcino or Gomez were wearing seatbelts.
The van was totaled.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Jackson Police Department assisted the Minnesota State Patrol at the scene. Also responding were fire, rescue and ambulance personnel from Jackson, Alpha and Sherburn.
For more, see this week's Jackson County Pilot.
