By Phillip C. Parrish, Candidate for Governor of Minnesota 2026
As a retired Navy Lieutenant Commander, educator, farmer, and now candidate for Governor of Minnesota in 2026, I’ve dedicated my life to serving others with integrity and humility. But on August 9, 2025, a devastating blow struck my campaign team. While my campaign manager and her husband were traveling south on Highway 56 in Goodhue County, their Subaru Forester was struck by a semi-truck at the treacherous intersection with County Road 9 Boulevard. The aftermath revealed severe injuries, systemic failures in roadway safety and trucking oversight, and—most galling—a media blackout that exposes the legacy press’s selective storytelling.
The crash occurred around 12:21 PM on wet roads, with the semi-truck barreling westbound into their path. Both vehicles were totaled, but the human toll was devastating. Initially transported to Northfield Hospital, my campaign manager and her husband were immediately transferred to Hennepin County Medical Center due to the gravity of their conditions, remaining hospitalized until late August 11. My campaign manager suffered an acute nondisplaced buckle fracture of the sternum, an acute compression fracture of the L1 vertebral body, and a posterior ligamentous complex injury, requiring a thoracolumbosacral orthosis brace and Miami-J cervical collar for spinal support. Her husband endured a left trapezius hematoma and developed acute kidney injury, aggravated by pre-existing health issues. Seatbelts saved their lives, but the impact—amplified by the truck’s mass and the intersection’s hazards—left them with life-altering harm.
This wasn’t just bad luck; it happened at a deadly hotspot. Goodhue County’s Highway 56 and County Road 9 intersection has seen at least six injury crashes in the six weeks before mid-August 2025, including July 20 and July 25 collisions that hospitalized victims, and a March 28, 2024, incident injuring three. [24] [27] MnDOT’s reactive fixes—larger stop signs, rumble strips, and warnings installed just one day prior on August 8—came too late for them and highlight chronic neglect. [17] [23] Rural intersections like this, with speeds up to 60 mph and heavy truck traffic, are twice as likely to be fatal statewide, per MnDOT data. Under-reporting plagues these areas: Non-fatal crashes often slip through Minnesota’s MNCrash system due to data gaps between police, hospitals, and EMS, potentially underestimating risks by 20-50% according to NHTSA estimates. This systemic blind spot delays fixes and endangers everyday Minnesotans.
Adding to the peril, the truck belonged to EM Cargo LLC, an Illinois-based carrier with a troubling safety record. FMCSA data shows 18 reportable crashes in 24 months (7 with injuries), a 26.4% vehicle out-of-service rate exceeding the national average, and violations in 69% of inspections—mostly maintenance lapses like faulty brakes or tires. [0] A dismissed 2022 lawsuit alleged ignored safety concerns, yet no major penalties followed. In a high-risk zone like this intersection, such patterns scream negligence, violating FMCSA rules on training and upkeep.
Legally, their injuries exceed Minnesota’s no-fault thresholds ($4,000+ medical costs or permanent impairment), opening doors to claims against EM Cargo for vicarious liability. They could seek damages for bills, lost wages, pain, and property loss—potentially triggering a federal review. As their advocate, I urge them to pursue this, not for vengeance, but to hold accountable those who failed them and prevent future tragedies.
But the deepest wound isn’t physical—it’s the Minnesota legacy media’s deafening silence. Local outlets like the Post Bulletin downplayed it as “one injured,” ignoring their Hennepin transfers and severe diagnoses, with no updates by 2:53 PM CDT today, August 14, 2025. [10] [21] Major players—the Star Tribune, MPR News—haven’t touched it, despite the intersection’s dangers and EM Cargo’s record. This isn’t oversight; it’s a pattern. A 2022 Thinking Minnesota poll found two-thirds of Minnesotans believe local reporters fuel political toxicity, perceiving a liberal bias that amplifies narratives suiting their agenda. [41] Studies, like those from APM Research Lab, document how media skews racial and social narratives, often prioritizing sensationalism over balanced truth. [34] Social media polarization research shows how outlets cherry-pick stories to divide, ignoring those that don’t fit. [42]
Imagine if this crash involved the campaign manager of Governor Tim Walz or other media favored politicians. Legacy media would swarm from day one—live updates, hospital vigils, editorials decrying “systemic failures” for political points. They’d hype it to smear opponents, turning tragedy into gain. Yet for my campaign manager and her husband—ordinary Minnesotans supporting a conservative challenging the status quo—and for me, a veteran whistleblower on daycare fraud, crickets. This selective amplification isn’t journalism; it’s agenda-driven malpractice, documented in ethics guidelines they claim to uphold but routinely ignore. [36] They could have corrected their “minor injury” reports days ago, as hospital data emerged, but chose not to. I don’t seek hype or political exploitation—just fair treatment. Minnesotans deserve truth, not narratives tailored to elite interests.
As your next Governor, I’ll fight for safe roads, accountable trucking, and unbiased media. Join me at parrish4mn.com—let’s build a Minnesota where every voice matters.
Phillip C. Parrish
Candidate for Governor of Minnesota 2026
2:53 PM CDT, August 14, 2025
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