On March 3, 2026, at approximately 10:50 AM, the Stearns County Emergency Communications Center received a report of a crash just north of the intersection of County Road 13 and County Road 17, in Melrose Township. This is approximately 5 miles north of the City of Melrose. The caller was the driver of the vehicle and was reporting the truck had tipped over in the ditch and had since started on fire.
Upon arriving on scene, the Melrose Fire Department extinguished the fire on the vehicle. Deputies learned that Steven Berscheit, 59, of Grey Eagle, was operating a 1985 International Straight Truck and was hauling soybeans. Berscheit reported he was southbound on County Road 13 coming up the hill just north of County Road 17 when he noticed the truck started to lose power. He reported he could smell burning rubber and the cab started filling with smoke. The truck started to roll backwards and eventually tipped over in the ditch. Berscheit was assessed on scene by Melrose Ambulance but did not have any injuries. Melrose Truck Repair removed the vehicle from the scene.
Assisting the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office was the Melrose Police Department, Sauk Centre Police Department, MN State Patrol, Melrose Fire Department, Melrose Ambulance, and Melrose Truck Repair.
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