Park Rapids man dies after being hit by vehicle

By Helmut Schmidt

December 23, 2023 at 9:57 AM

PARK RAPIDS, Minn. - A Park Rapids man died after being hit by a vehicle along Highway 34 about 5:45 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22.

Willard Eugene Pietila, 68, was treated at the scene by first responders and was transported to CHI St. Joseph鈥檚 Health hospital in Park Rapids, where he was pronounced dead, the Minnesota State Patrol reported.

According to the Patrol report:

Lacy Loren Johansen, 37, of Park Rapids was driving a Jeep eastbound on Highway 34 near Lake Avenue, when she struck the man. Johansen told investigators that she believed she had hit an animal, but that her phone was dead and she was unable to stop immediately because of traffic. She said she returned to the scene, but continued on when she saw emergency vehicles, and called 911 later to follow up, the report said.

Johansen was not reported to be injured.

Road conditions were wet, the report said.

By Helmut Schmidt

Helmut Schmidt is a business reporter at The Forum. He鈥檚 a German import, arriving in the United States about a decade after the Volkswagen beetle. After graduating high school in Cottage Grove, Minn., he served in the U.S. Army as a microwave radio operator and repairman. He earned a journalism degree from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, then started at the Albert Lea Tribune in southeastern Minnesota, where he served three years as its managing editor. At The Forum, he has covered various beats, including K-12 schools, city government, cops and courts, and the business community. Contact Helmut at 701-241-5583 or hschmidt@forumcomm.com.

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Park Rapids man dies after being hit by vehicle

Victim was taken to a Park Rapids hospital where he was pronounced dead.