Alcohol was a factor in the head-on collision that left English professor’s son in critical condition.

By Elise Nikolic

Co-editor-in-chief

ARCC English professor Tracy Turner’s son, Elias Youngblom, was in a head-on collision with a suspected drunk driver at 2 p.m. on March 16. The Fergus Falls State Patrol stated on March 17 that the other driver Jana Battern was detected to have alcohol in her system.

I-94 was closed for 90 minutes and the accident left 23-year-old Youngblom in critical condition and was air lifted from the scene to Sanford Medical Center in Fargo. Turner has canceled all her classes in Coon Rapids for the week and has set up a Caring Bridge site for her son.

The site states that he has a broken arm, facial fractures, and liver damage but has no brain or spinal injuries. ARCC Dean of Arts and Letters Greg Rathert has exchanged a few emails back and forth with Turner.

“Tracy had just said that there had been this accident and that her son had to be life flighted, and she wouldn’t be able to teach for the rest of the week; she also asked to keep her family in students and faculty’s thoughts and prayers,’’ said Rathert.