R.D. Offutt honors memory of Wadena woman killed in crash

The investigation into the incident that killed Amber Gorentz is now closed

WADENA, Minn. — The family of a Wadena woman who was hit by a car and killed says they’re through looking for answers and are instead searching for closure.

Tasha Gorentz says she and her family may never know what led to her sister’s death that one early September morning.

“There’s not a lot of answers, and I think that’s been one of the issues with the closure that we’ve been looking for, but there probably never is going to be,” she explains.

Minnesota State Patrol says 27-year-old Amber Gorentz had been walking alongside Highway 34 near Dunvilla at around 2:00 in the morning when she was hit by a car and killed.

The 23-year-old driver has not been charged and the investigation into what happened is now closed, but Tasha says Amber’s memory will live forever.

“I’m really proud of her,” she says with tears in her eyes. “I’m proud to be her sister, and I just am glad that she was able to touch as many people’s lives as she did.”

Some of the many lives Amber touched were her colleagues’ at R.D. Offutt Company.

“There’s so many jobs and there’s so many people that are just replaceable, you know, they feel replaceable and like a number, and so it’s really touching to me that even in her passing, that they are supporting her and our family as much as they have. It’s been really awesome,” says Tasha.

The potato harvest truck Amber used at work now has her photo and name decaled on both sides.

It’s also reserved for female drivers only, something Tasha hopes will serve as an inspiration to the few women in the industry. “Primarily it’s men, so it’s kind of cool for her to, even in some areas, do better than some of the guys that she worked with.”

She hopes those who knew her will remember Amber as the fearless young woman she was, and that the photo sitting on the side of the truck will help make sure of that.

Tasha says she does not blame the driver for her sister’s death and she’s open to meeting with him.