Eldery woman killed in wrong-way crash

BELLE PLAINE, Minn. — An elderly woman is dead after driving the wrong way down a southwest metro highway and crashing head-on with another vehicle early Monday afternoon.

The Minnesota State Patrol says a 93-year-old woman from Belle Plaine had been driving her Chevy Equinox southbound in the northbound lanes of Highway 169 at Belle Plaine Trail shortly before 1 p.m. That's when she collided head-on with a Chevy Silverado pickup truck.

The driver of the Silverado, a 38-year-old Elk River man, suffered injuries not considered to be life-threatening and did not receive transportation to a hospital.

The state patrol identified the driver who died as Irene Isabell Castor.

As a result of the crash, Highway 169 shut down for hours as crews worked to clean up the scene. As of 6 p.m. Monday, the highway is back open.

Alcohol is not a suspected factor in the incident.