Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball coach Brad Bigler is mourning the loss of his 5-month-old son.
The crash happened on Highway 29 and County Road 41 near Starbuck, Minnesota which is in Pope County in the western part of the state just before 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
The Minnesota Highway Patrol says 33-year-old Brad Bigler was taken to Avera McKennan in Sioux Falls. As of Sunday, he is in stable condition.
His five-month-old son Drake Bigler was killed. There were also two other people in the SUV. Bigler's wife, Heather who is expected to be OK but does have minor injuries. Heather's 74-year-old grandmother, Sharon Schuler is in critical condition.
Authorities tell us a Starbuck man, 38-year-old Dana Schoen swerved into oncoming traffic and struck Bigler's GMC Acadia head-on which was being driven by Bigler's wife.
The highway patrol says alcohol is likely a factor.
SMSU's athletic director says the coach broke several ribs and a shoulder blade. We talked to the AD on the phone and he says the Bigler family has gone through enough.
"It wasn't but a year ago that Brad lost his mom in a canoeing accident. So a year ago we went through a loss a family member and this year we'll feel it, it's just not fair," Chris Himelewski said.
