The weekend had a second fatal accident on US Highway 61, this time in Cottage Grove. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the accident occurred around 8:15 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 12 when Julia Ann Bild, age 95 of Cottage Grove made a wrong turn onto Highway 61 at 80th Street in Cottage Grove, resulting in a head-on collision and the deaths of two people and the hospitalization of two more. Traffic was backed up until noon on the northbound lane of Highway 61 near the adjacent intersection of Hyde Ave South and East Point Douglas Road between Jamaica Ave and 80th Street.

Bild was driving a Silver 2010 Ford Fusion which was captured on the MNDoT camera driving southbound in the left northbound lane. Shortly after Bild passed the camera, an SUV can be seen pulling over and backing up to assist the motorists after the accident. The camera then shifts to the accident scene a few minutes later when emergency crews were on the scene.

Bild collided with an Audi Q5 head on which was driven by Charles Tentinger, age 66, of Prescott, Wis. He was accompanied by his wife Carol Tentinger, age 64, and Tanya Ann Mott, age 32, of Lakeville. Both Bild and Mott were pronounced dead at the scene and the Tentingers were taken to Regions Hospital. As of Sunday night, Charles was in serious condition and Carol was in critical, but stable condition according to a spokesman at Regions Hospital.

MN State Patrol and Cottage Grove Emergency Services were on the scene of the accident until around noon reconstructing and cleaning up the scene with the assistance of a tow company. Traffic was diverted onto the inner shoulder during the majority of the time that crews were on scene.

According to the report, the roadway was dry at the time of the accident, alcohol was not considered to be a factor in the crash and all four people were wearing their seatbelts.