By Patrick Tepoorten

Joshua Robert Smrcka, 20 of North Branch, was struck and killed by a motor vehicle early Saturday morning, as he walked along Forest Blvd. just south of 240th Street.

According to a press release from the North Branch Police Department, at 2:17 a.m., Chisago County dispatch received a 911 call from the driver of a vehicle claiming to have struck a pedestrian. Officers from both the Chisago County Sheriffís Dept., and the North Branch Police Dept. were dispatched to the scene. Officers discovered Smrcka, who did appear to have been struck by the callerís vehicle.

Lakes Region EMS responded and declared Smrcka dead at the scene.

Rose Lascala, Joshuaís mother, described him as a ìfree spirit.î

ìHe did what he wanted. He always tried to make people laugh,î she stated.

The incident is under investigation by the NBPD and the Minnesota State Patrol. Lt. Stephen Forner commented on Monday that, as yet, there were no preliminary results available.

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