On September 5, 2026, at approximately 11:54 AM, the Stearns County Emergency Communications Center received a report of an ATV crash with injuries in the 34000 block of Westfield Road in Melrose Township. This location is approximately 3 miles north of the City of Melrose. Initial reports indicated that there were two occupants of an ATV and the ATV rolled. The caller reported both occupants were injured.
Upon arriving on scene, Stearns County Deputies learned that a 2025 Kawasaki Ridge was westbound on Westfield Road in the 34000-block negotiating a curve when it lost control and rolled, end over end, in the ditch. Deputies learned the Ridge was being operated by Faith Tschida, 17, of Sartell. She was partially trapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated by the fire department. A passenger in the vehicle, Makenzy Karnes, 16, of Burtrum was also injured. Tschida was transported from the scene by Life Link III to Children’s Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Karnes was transported via ground ambulance to the Melrose Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Both Tschida and Karnes were not wearing the factory installed seatbelts in the vehicle and neither were wearing helmets. The crash remains under investigation.
The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Sauk Centre Police Department, Melrose Fire Department, Melrose Ambulance, and Life Link III.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-