Rochester man dead in Blue Earth County accident in vehicle reported stolen from Austin

A Rochester man is dead after an accident Saturday evening in Blue Earth County in a vehicle reported stolen from the city of Austin.   

The Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office reported that 20-year old Ezequiel Angel Balderas, of Rochester, had been traveling north on County Road 53 just before 8:00 p.m. Saturday evening when the vehicle ran off the road, vaulted and rolled after striking a field approach. 

Balderas was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.  Authorities reported that the pickup had been reported stolen about an hour earlier to the Austin Police Department.

The Sheriff’s Office stated that the crash was not pursuit-related and law enforcement was not present when it occurred. The incident remains under investigation by the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Minnesota State Patrol.