Evelyn Marie Brye Killed in Olmsted County Truck Accident
The 72-year-old St. James resident died after a semi-truck side-swiped a car, forcing it into her path on Interstate 90
Evelyn Marie Brye, 72, of St. James, was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 90 near the Highway 52 interchange in Olmsted County on Wednesday morning, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
An eastbound semi-truck side-swiped a passenger car just before 9 a.m., forcing the smaller vehicle across the median and directly into the path of a westbound SUV, investigators said.
The impact was fatal. Brye, who was driving the SUV, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The 46-year-old driver of the car, an 18-year-old passenger, and the 43-year-old truck driver were not injured.
All passengers were wearing seatbelts. Alcohol was not a factor in the collision, according to the state crash report.
The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office assisted at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
How common are commercial truck crashes on Interstate 90?
Interstate 90 serves as a major commercial artery through southern Minnesota, carrying thousands of heavy freight vehicles daily.
When a passenger vehicle is forced into opposing traffic by a commercial truck, the resulting head-on collisions frequently result in catastrophic outcomes due to the combined speeds and mass of the vehicles.
What happens next in the commercial crash investigation?
While the State Patrol reconstructs the sequence of events that caused the semi-truck to side-swipe the passenger car, commercial liability investigations often run parallel to law enforcement efforts.
Candice Bond, managing partner at Bond Legal, said, "Law enforcement focuses on determining what happened mechanically and chronologically, but commercial liability investigations explore why negligence occurred and what systemic failures preceded the collision."
"Surviving families benefit when attorneys coordinate with police while simultaneously pursuing independent discovery through driver records, maintenance files, and communication logs that illuminate liability beyond what criminal investigation typically reveals," added Bond, who is also a national legal analyst for Accident News.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations require commercial drivers to maintain strict hours-of-service logs and vehicle maintenance records. Investigators typically examine these logs, along with electronic control module data from the truck, to determine if fatigue, distraction, or mechanical failure played a role in the lane deviation.
Minnesota wrongful death statute
Under Minn. Stat. § 573.02, surviving family members may file a wrongful death action. Minnesota applies modified comparative fault (51% bar). The statute of limitations is 3 years.
Recoverable damages may include loss of financial support, loss of companionship and guidance, funeral expenses, and the estate's losses.
According to Stefano Formica, a national legal analyst for Accident News and of counsel at Bond Legal, "Surviving relatives often feel unprepared for the legal process, insurance interactions, and financial decisions. An attorney provides roadmap, explanation, and steady guidance through each stage, allowing families to focus on recovery and healing."