Blue Earth County Sheriff responds to 2 separate utility pole crashes Monday morning

The Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office responded to two separate crashes involving utility poles Monday morning.

The first crash happened at 7:07 a.m. when a Toyota Rav4, southbound on Indian Lake Rd near Doc Jones Rd left the roadway and hit a utility pole. The driver of the vehicle was identified as John Stephen Kanyusik, 75, of rural Mankato. Kanyusik was the only occupant in the vehicle and he was not injured, even though airbags were deployed in the crash.

The utility pole was broken off and is being replaced by Xcel Energy, according to a press release from the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office.

The second crash happened at about 7:33 a.m. when a Chevy Impala, driven by Kevin Michael Kair, 32, of Good Thunder, left the roadway and hit a utility pole as it traveled westbound on Co Rd 10 west of Beauford. Kair and his passenger, T’Keha Janay Worthen, 31, of Mankato, were both transported to a hospital by ambulance with suspected minor injuries.

The utility pole was damaged and will be inspected by Benco Electric Cooperative.

Sheriff’s Cpt Paul Barta said skies were clear and sunny and the weather was not a factor in either crash.