CASSELTON – A Bowbells man died in a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 94, about 12 miles west of Casselton, on Wednesday.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol identified the victim as Rolf Aufforth, 75. A passenger in his vehicle, Vickie Aufforth, 72, Bowbells, was seriously injured. The crash occurred about 6:20 p.m.

According to the Highway Patrol, a 2013 Freightliner, driven by Sahardid Guhad, 37, St. Cloud, Minnesota, and towing a van trailer was eastbound on Interstate 94. The Freightliner approached two other commercial motor vehicles that were jackknifed in the median and not blocking the road.

Guhad applied the Freightliner’s brakes and lost control of it. The Freightliner and trailer jackknifed, and the Freightliner semi-tractor entered the median and came to rest upright.. The van trailer remained attached and came to rest across both eastbound lanes of the Interstate, facing in a northwest to southeast direction.

Rolf Aufforth, driving a 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan, was eastbound on Interstate 94 in lane two and approached the jackknifed Freightliner. The Volkswagen struck the driver’s side of the van trailer in lane two and became wedged under the trailer.

Rolf Aufforth was pronounced dead at the scene. Vickie Aufforth was transported to a Fargo hospital for serious injuries.

The occupants of the two vehicles were wearing their seat belts, the Highway Patrol said.

Snow was falling at the time of the crash, with strong northwest winds causing blowing snow and reduced visibility, and the highway was ice covered, according to the Highway Patrol.

The crash remains under investigation by the Highway Patrol.