Ricky Delbert Edstrom Obituary, Death: Hastings man identified as victim killed while removing dead deer from road.

Ricky Delbert Edstrom Obituary, Death – Officials have identified the man who tragically lost his life while attempting to remove a dead deer from the road early Wednesday morning. Ricky Delbert Edstrom, a 69-year-old man from Hastings, was struck and killed by an eastbound vehicle while clearing the road near Hastings.

According to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office, Edstrom was the victim in the fatal incident. The crash occurred when Edstrom, driving westbound on Dakota County Road 46 near General Sieben Drive in Marshan Township, south of Hastings, hit a deer. After the collision, Edstrom pulled his vehicle over onto the north shoulder of the road to remove the animal.

At the scene, a second driver stopped to assist Edstrom. However, as they were working, another eastbound vehicle struck Edstrom while he was still on the shoulder of the road. The second driver was a witness to the accident and immediately contacted authorities to report the crash.

Dakota County sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene at approximately 6:35 a.m. and provided life-saving efforts to Edstrom. Despite their attempts to resuscitate him, Edstrom did not survive the injuries sustained from the collision.

Sheriff Joe Leko confirmed in a social media post that the driver who struck Edstrom was not injured in the incident and has been cooperative with the ongoing investigation. The authorities are working to piece together the events leading to the crash to understand how it unfolded and whether any contributing factors, such as road conditions or driver behavior, played a role.

This tragic accident has left the community in shock, as Edstrom was simply trying to remove the dead deer to prevent further accidents on the road. His efforts to help others were met with an unfortunate and deadly outcome. As investigations continue, the authorities are urging drivers to exercise caution when stopping on the roadside, especially when dealing with animals that have been struck by vehicles.

The tragic incident serves as a reminder of the potential dangers of the road, not only from moving traffic but also from the hazards posed by obstacles such as dead animals. In this case, Edstrom’s attempt to remove the deer and make the road safer ultimately led to his own death, highlighting the risks that can arise when making such efforts to ensure the safety of others.