Joe Drennan
Staff writerBarbara Loechel, 40, died last Tuesday, Jan. 27, when she lost control of her Ford pickup truck and struck another vehicle in the 8400 block of Lake Drive in Columbus Township.
Loechel of 14828 Furman St. in Columbus Township was traveling eastbound when she apparently lost control of the vehicle and collided with Bradley Harmon of Rush City. Loechel was traveling with her two infant children ages three and one.
Anoka County Sheriff Captain Robert Aldrich said Harmon and Loechelís children all suffered non-life threatening injuries, but Loechel was pronounced dead at the scene. Harmonís injuries were the result of the airbag deploying in his Dodge Ram pickup truck.
The children were both in child safety seats, but Loechel was not wearing a seat belt Aldrich said.
ìWe do know wearing seat belts does save lives,î Aldrich said. ìBut we donít know if it would have saved Loechel.î
ìIt looks like there were some slick spots on the road at the location of the accident,î Aldrich said as the probable cause for Loechel losing control of her car.
Loechel leaves behind her husband Bill Thorpe, and children Theodore and Dana. Funeral services were Monday, Feb. 2 at St. Genevieve Catholic Church in Centerville.
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