Bois Forte public works director dies while driving in Cook

COOK- Brian Lee Whiteman Sr., 51, of Nett Lake, longtime public works director for the Bois Forte Tribal Government, died Friday morning after apparently suffering a medical emergency while driving on Hwy. 53 in Cook.
According to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and emergency medical personnel were dispatched at 11:42 a.m. on Nov. 6 to a report of a pickup truck that had struck the former McDonald’s restaurant building in Cook.
Witnesses told investigators the pickup drifted off the highway at a low speed before striking the building and coming to a stop. Finding Whiteman unresponsive, bystanders broke a window of the truck to reach him and began CPR after removing him from the vehicle.
Emergency personnel continued lifesaving efforts after arriving at the scene, but Whiteman was pronounced dead.
The Sheriff’s Office said its preliminary investigation indicated that Whiteman had suffered a medical emergency before the collision. Alcohol was not a factor.
In a statement, the Bois Forte Reservation Tribal Council described Whiteman as a valued and dedicated employee who had served the tribal government for many years. All Bois Forte Tribal Government offices will be closed Friday, Nov. 13, in his honor.
The incident remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office and the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office. Several area fire and medical departments assisted at the scene.