A St. Hilaire, Minn., man was killed Thursday morning in a head-on crash near Thief River Falls, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
Jesse Lian, 21, was killed when the 1990 Ford Crown Victoria he was driving collided with an oncoming 1999 Chevy Suburban, driven by John Hamre, 42, Thief River Falls.
Lian was northbound on Minnesota Highway 32 south of Thief River Falls about 8:30 a.m. Thursday when his car was struck by the southbound Suburban, according to the State Patrol.
Hamre was northbound along Highway 32 and passed another vehicle and "did not see the (Lian's vehicle) until close to impact," according to the State Patrol.
Lian was pronounced dead at the scene. The airbag in his car deployed, but he was not wearing a seat belt, according to the State Patrol. He was not thrown from the vehicle.
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By midafternoon Thursday, Lian's Facebook page and a MySpace page for the band he played in were flooded with condolences and "rest in peace" comments from friends and family.
Hamre was transferred to North Dakota for treatment of "numerous injuries" that were non-life- threatening, according to the State Patrol. He was pried from his vehicle with the Jaws of Life. He was wearing a seat belt, and his airbag deployed.
There was some snow on the highway but nothing major, according to a State Patrol dispatcher.
State Patrol said there was no indication that alcohol was involved. No citations have been issued.
