A tragic head-on collision occurred on Friday, December 6, 2024, around 1:34 p.m. on State Highway 78 near Ottertail, Minnesota. The accident involved a southbound vehicle driven by 27-year-old McKayla Ann Schicker of Fergus Falls and a northbound boom truck operated by 23-year-old Henry Francis Gibbs of Battle Lake. Schicker, who was not wearing a seatbelt, sustained serious injuries and was pronounced dead less than two hours after the crash. Gibbs suffered minor injuries and did not require hospitalization. The road conditions were reported as wet at the time of the incident.
McKayla Schicker owned Bev’s Donuts in Battle Lake and recently acquired Bev’s Bakehouse in Wadena. She is survived by her five children. A GoFundMe campaign has been established to assist with her final expenses and support her children.
The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating the crash. The Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Department, Ottertail Fire and Rescue, and Perham Ambulance provided assistance at the scene.