MISSOULA — New details have been released after a pedestrian and a Montana Highway Patrol cruiser were hit by a pickup truck near St. Regis on I-90 earlier this week.
MHP spokesman Sgt. Jay Nelson says a trooper was responding to several crashes on Monday afternoon when an additional car slid off the road.
The driver of that car then approached the trooper, who was inside his car.
The driver of a pickup truck that was attempting to pass a snowplow then hit the pedestrian who was standing outside talking to the trooper.
The incident caused some damage to the patrol car, but no medical assistance was required for the pedestrian.
Road conditions at the time were snow-covered with falling snow at the time of the incident.
Sgt. Nelson said weather often causes dangerous conditions for the stretch of road where the incident occurred.
He also urges drivers to use caution when passing snowplows.
“In doing their jobs, snow is going to be blowing, snow is going to be pushed, which can cause intermittent white outs. And we have to be extremely careful passing those snow plows. They're out there doing a job as well as driving and we just have to be ever so careful should we attempt to pass them." - MHP spokesman Sgt. Jay Nelson
Sgt. Nelson told MTN News the case will be turned over to the Mineral County Attorney to determine if any charges will be filed.
