By Jolene FarleyThree Rock County residents are recovering from injuries they received in a two-vehicle accident northwest of Hills Thursday.A 1998 Buick Park Avenue driven by Sherryl Knobloch, 55, of rural Hills, and a 1994 Chevrolet pickup driven by Ryan Burgers, 25, Luverne, collided at a blind, unmarked intersection about 4 1/2 miles northwest of Hills.Chris Louwagie, 28, Luverne, was a passenger in Burger’s vehicle.After the collision, Burgers walked to the Marlin DeNoble’s farm about a half mile away from the scene, and DeNoble called officials, according to Burgers.The Rock County Sheriff’s Department responded at 7:46 a.m. to the intersection of 30th Avenue and 51st Street. The Hills Fire Department, Rock County Ambulance, Avera McKennan Careflight, Sioux Valley Trauma I and the Minnesota Highway Patrol also responded. Knobloch was airlifted to Avera McKennan Hospital and Louwagie was airlifted to Sioux Valley Hospital, both in Sioux Falls.Burgers was transported by ground ambulance to Avera McKennan Hospital.Burgers said Monday that doctors anticipate he’ll be released from the hospital Wednesday or today. He had a bleeding spleen and is "stiff and sore." Knobloch has been moved to a private hospital room from the Intensive Care Unit. Doctors may release her by the end of the week to recover at home, according to her daughter-in-law, Amy Knobloch.Her injuries include a stabilized fracture in her neck, a punctured lung, broken ribs, cuts on her eyelid and head, and bruises and scrapes. Knobloch will wear a neck brace for eight to 12 weeks instead of having surgery for the fracture in her neck, according to Amy. Louwagie, a teacher in the Hills-Beaver Creek School district, is still in the Intensive Care Unit at Sioux Valley Hospital, according to his wife, Laura. "He has chest and back injuries," she said from the hospital waiting room."He is able to move all his limbs, and his condition is improving daily." Burgers said he was impressed with the way rescue workers responded to the accident. "I think the Hills Fire Department did an outstanding job," he said from his hospital bed Monday. "They were there quickly and they did a very good job."
