Thursday, July 17, 2003
Motorcycle crash claims life of New Richmond
woman
A 31-year-old New Richmond woman was killed late Friday afternoon when her motorcycle struck a passenger car which failed to stop at the junction of Polk County Highway A at State Highway 46, about a mile north of Deer Park. Calah Nielsen was pronounced dead at the scene about 4:30 p.m. by the Polk County Coroner.
Nielsen was southbound on Hwy. 46 when a westbound Dodge Intrepid, driven by Melissa E. Johnson, 31, of Almena, passed through the posted stop sign on Highway A. Her motorcycle struck the passenger side of the Dodge. Johnson told investigating officers that her visibility was limited by heavy rain and she did not see the stop sign.
A passenger in the auto -- Susan Bastian, 40, of Rice Lake -- was transported to Regions Hospital in St. Paul. The sheriff’s department described her condition as “critical” on Monday.
The crash remains under investigation, but alcohol doesn’t appear to have been a factor, according to a Polk County Sheriff’s Department press release.
First time on cycle
Nielsen was on her way home from work at the Hair Depot in Amery, where she worked as a nail technician. The owner of the business is Hollie Sprester. “As soon as we heard on the radio that there had been an accident, we drove down to (the intersection) hoping that it was not her, but unfortunately, it was,” said Sprester Tuesday. This was the first time that Nielsen had decided to ride her motorcycle to work, according to Sprester.
Nielsen and her husband, Todd, together with their 4-year-old son, Max, moved to New Richmond from St. Michael, Minn., about a year ago. They live in the Peninsula Heights subdivision on the southeast side of the city, a brand new neighborhood where none of the homes is more than two years old. The Nielsens had lived in St. Michael about six years before moving here, according to Sprester. Calah went to work at the Hair Depot in April of this year. “Most of their relatives live in either Eau Claire or the Twin Cities,” said Sprester.
Calah Nielsen (nee Bonier) is a St. Paul native and a graduate from St. Paul Central High School.
Max Nielsen was at a day care center at the time of the accident, she added. A fund is being set up for her son, according to sources in Amery.
New Richmond News Thursday, July 17, 2003
Deer Park collision claims second
victim
A 38-year-old Rice Lake woman became the second fatality yesterday in the wake of a July 11 car-motorcycle crash that had already claimed the life of a 31-year-old New Richmond woman.
Family members indicated that Susan Bastian, a passenger in the car involved in the accident, had been taken off life support at Regions Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, and later died.
Bastian was riding in a car driven by 31-year-old Melissa E. Johnson, of Almena, which passed through a posted stop sign at the corner of Wisconsin Highway 46 and Polk County Highway A late on the afternoon of July 11. The car was going west on A at the time of the crash.
A motorcycle ridden by Calah Nielsen, 31, New Richmond, was going south on Highway 46 and struck Johnson’s car.
Bastian was transported to Regions Hospital in St. Paul after the crash and remained in critical condition until she was removed from life support Tuesday afternoon.
New Richmond News
Monday, July 14, 2003
Motorcycle crash claims life of New Richmond
woman
A 31-year-old New Richmond woman was killed late Friday afternoon when her motorcycle struck a passenger car which failed to stop at the junction of Polk County Highway A at State Highway 46.
Calah Nielsen was pronounced dead at the scene about 4:30 p.m. by the Polk County Coroner.
Nielsen was southbound on Hwy. 46 when a westbound Dodge Intrepid driven by Melissa E. Johnson, 31, of Almena, passed through the posted stop sign on CTH A. Her motorcycle struck the passenger side of the Dodge.
Johnson told investigating officers that her visibility was limited by heavy rain and she did not see the stop sign.
A passenger in the auto -- Susan Bastian, 40, of Rice Lake -- was transported to Regions Hospital in St. Paul. The sheriff's department described her condition as "critical" on Saturday. An updated condition wasn't immediately available Monday afternoon.
The crash remains under investigation, but alcohol doesn't appear to have been a factor, according to a Polk County Sheriff's Department press release.
Reader Comments (as posted on the New Richmond News web site.)
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Posted: Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Article comment by: Danielle
Williams
This tragic accident has claimed another life. My cousin, Susan Bastian, was taken off life support this afternoon. She was 38 years old. The prayers of our family go out to the family of Calah Nielson.
