Austin man injured in two-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 218 in Mower County Monday morning

An Austin man was injured in a two-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 218 in Mower County early Monday morning.

The Minnesota State Patrol reported that a 1997 Mazda 626 being driven by 77-year old John Anthony Lavelle of Austin and a 2001 Ford F-150 pickup being driven by 31-year old Charles Wesley Branchaud of Austin were both northbound on Highway 218 at approximately 6:14 a.m. Monday morning when they collided near the intersection with County Road 4 in Austin Township.

Branchaud suffered non-life threatening injuries, and he was transported to Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Austin for treatment, while Lavelle was uninjured.  The State Patrol noted that both men were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident, and the Mower County Sheriff’s Office, the Austin Fire Department and Mayo Ambulance all assisted the State Patrol at the accident scene Monday morning.