The Sturges family was heading south on Meeker County Road 34 on Saturday evening when the accident occurred near Forest City. "We ran into an ice storm," said Robert Sturges, who was driving. "...we hit some ice and I lost control of the car."
The car struck a field approach at an angle and rolled into the east ditch, according to the report by the Meeker County Sheriff's Department. Heidi Sturges and eight-year-old Brittany were ejected from the vehicle. Robert Sturges, 28, and eight-month-old Cory remained in the car.
All four were transported to Meeker County Hospital, where Robert, Brittany, and Cory were treated with minor injuries and released. Robert Sturges said he and his kids still needed to see a chiropractor for out of place ribs and pinched nerves.
The family has lived by Rice Lake for a couple of years. Heidi Sturges worked for Fingerhut in St. Cloud and Robert Sturges works for Bauerly Brothers in Sauk Rapids. They were members of the Cold Spring Car Club. Funeral services were held in Eden Valley last week.
Robert Sturges said his daughter was wearing her seat belt and Cory was in his safety seat when the accident occurred. Neither he nor his wife was wearing a seat belt. He said he never wears a seat belt, unless he's on the job, because he thinks he survived a rollover after high school because he was thrown from the vehicle and avoided being crushed. "She usually wore it," he said of his wife, "but for some reason she didn't that day."
The investigation of the accident by the Meeker County Sheriff's Department and the state patrol is still being completed.