ST. PAUL -- No citations appear likely to be issued in connection with a snowmobile crash that left a Minnesota state lawmaker with serious injuries last week.
State Sen. John Jasinski, R-Faribault, said he suffered broken ribs, a broken pelvis and a fractured vertebrae as a result of the crash Friday along a snowmobile trail in northern Minnesota outside the community of Motley.
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A report from the Morrison County sheriff's office said Jasinski was flung from the snowmobile he was riding while trying to navigate a sharp turn.
On Tuesday, the office released incident reports from the crash that suggested Jasinski's speed alone was the cause of the crash, in which Sen. Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, collided with Jasinski's unoccupied sled.
"This case is closed," a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office said in an email.
The reports indicate operator alcohol or drug use was not suspected for either Jasinski or Johnson; neither man was administered a chemical test following the crash, which occurred around 12:45 p.m.
"Johnson was traveling behind Jasinski," the narrative of one of the reports reads. "The trail made a near 90 degree left turn. Information suggests that Jasinski entered the turn at a speed where he was thrown from the machine, receiving injuries. Johnson then collided with Jasinski's machine."
The report estimated the speed of both snowmobiles at 10 mph, reported the weather was clear and said the 2022 Polaris sleds were a proper fit for each operator. The snowmobiles were listed as owned by Polaris.
The senators were among a group of Republican senators and staffers participating in Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association's Winter Rendezvous trail ride, an event that was based out of the Brainerd area.
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