NEW ULM — Authorities have identified the 23-year-old North Mankato man who died in a two-vehicle crash in snow and ice road conditions at 12:53 p.m. Tuesday on U.S. Highway 14, Courtland Township, Nicollet County.

The Minnesota State Patrol reported Aaron G. Lloyd of North Mankato was westbound on Highway 14 in a 2002 Chevrolet Malibu when he collided with a 2002 Ford Explorer driven by Steven P. Hess, 35, Chaska. The Ford was eastbound on Highway 14, then entered the westbound lane.

Hess was transported to a Mankato hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The Nicollet County Sheriff’s Office, Allina Ambulance and the Courtland Fire Department assisted.

In response to what was the second fatal accident on the same stretch of Highway 14 — and the third fatal accident in this area — in just two days, Karen Foreman, President of the U.S. Highway 14 Partnership and a member of the Mankato City Council, emphasized the need for a viable plan to fix the highway.

“What is it going to take to finally fix Highway 14?,” she said in a statement. “Two deadly crashes in less than 24 hours need to be wake-up call that we need action now. Right now, it seems like no one has a clear path forward for Highway 14. The Corridors of Commerce program is ineffective in its current form, and it is apparent that we can’t rely on the federal government,” the statement read.

“It is time for everyone involved — Governor Walz, Commissioner Kelliher, the Legislature, local advocates  to roll up our sleeves and come together with a plan to fix Highway 14 so that we can hopefully prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future,” the statement said.

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In another matter related to winter driving, the Brown County Sheriff’s Office reminded motorists to drive carefully and slow down, especially when they see flashing lights.

A collision on State Highway 15 and 110th Street, 3 miles southeast of Hanska, was captured on a deputy’s dash cam on the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 21, as a tow truck was removing a vehicle from the ditch.

“We are thankful no injuries occurred, said Brown County Sheriff Jason Seidl. “A driver thought they were on the road, but were actually driving in the shoulder. Please slow down and be cautious during the winter season, as weather conditions and roads are unpredictable,” he said.

That video can be viewed on the Brown County Sheriff’s Office Facebook site.