Two Warren men die in overturned car in Polk County ditch

Two men from Warren, Minnesota, died after their vehicle overturned in a rural ditch in Polk County.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office confirmed the deaths in a release sent to media outlets. The incident occurred on County Road 20, roughly half a mile north of 150 Street Northwest. A member of the public located the wreck shortly before noon on Saturday, October 31. The car lay on its roof in a water-filled drainage ditch at the time of discovery.

Johnny Alexander Ortiz, 22, and Devin Michael Casares, 22, were identified as the victims. Both men were found inside the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. Ortiz and Casares both resided in Warren, a town situated approximately 30 miles northeast of East Grand Forks. Warren also sits about 28 miles west of Thief River Falls.

Emergency response was immediate. Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff's Office and members of the Warren Fire Department arrived at the crash site. The North Valley Health Center Ambulance also responded to the scene. The Minnesota State Patrol assisted the sheriff's office during the initial investigation.

The crash remains under active investigation. The sheriff's office stated in its report that it is unlikely any further information will be released at this time. No specific cause for the single-vehicle accident was provided in the initial statement.