Curtis William Watkins Injured in Wright County Crash on Highway 55 at Reardon Ave NW – Southside Township, January 15, 2026

Curtis William Watkins, 46, of South Saint Paul, Minnesota, was injured on January 15, 2026, in a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Minnesota Highway 55 and Reardon Avenue NW in Southside Township, Wright County. The crash occurred at approximately 5:26 p.m. when a 2015 Ford Fusion traveling eastbound collided with a westbound 2023 Freightliner semi. Road conditions were reported as dry at the time of the incident.

Watkins was a passenger in the Freightliner. Authorities stated he sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to St. Cloud Hospital for treatment. The driver of the semi, 57-year-old Steven Wade Johnson of Hastings, also suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Ford Fusion, 63-year-old Bette Louise Nelson of Annandale, was pronounced dead. Emergency personnel from Wright County responded to the scene. The circumstances leading to the collision remain part of the official record.