Truman man critically injured when semi hits plow diverting traffic for work zone

A Truman man was critically injured last week when his semi crashed into a state plow that was diverting traffic for a portable work zone on I-90.

James Dale Ratcliffe, 68, was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester with life-threatening injuries following the crash, which happened June 29 at 9:40 a.m. in Jo Daviess Township.

The Minnesota State Patrol says Ratcliffe was behind the wheel of a 2005 International 9400 that was pulling a Timpte trailer eastbound on I-90 when it rear-ended the Western Star truck in the right lane.

The driver of the Western Star, Nathaniel Jeffrey Lamont, 50, of Truman, was transported to United District Hospital in Blue Earth with non-life threatening injuries.

The crash closed the eastbound lanes of I-90 for several hours.  MnDOT sent notice to media shortly after 10:30 a.m. the day of the crash that the freeway had closed.  A reopening notice was sent shortly after 2 p.m.

In a Facebook post Thursday, MnDOT says Ratcliffe was cited for the crash and reminded motorists to slow down in work zones. “Both drivers were injured, but it could have been much worse without the attenuator mounted on the back of the truck to reduce the force of the impact,” says MnDOT