GREAT FALLS — Seven people have died and several others were injured in crashes across Montana between August 9 and August 14, 2024.
MISSOULA COUNTY: A 53-year-old Missoula man died in a one-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 93 near Evaro on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. The crash happened just after 11 p.m.
According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the driver of the Ford F-350 pickup truck was heading south on U.S. Highway 93. Near mile marker 5, the pickup truck went off the road, hit a guardrail, and rolled.
The driver was thrown from the vehicle by the force of the crash and died at the scene. The name of the man has not yet been released.
The MHP says that alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the crash. The driver was the only occupant of the vehicle.
RICHLAND COUNTY: A child died after reportedly being hit by a pickup truck in Richland County on Wednesday, August 14, 2024.
It happened at about 4:30 p.m. just outside the town of Sidney near the intersection of County Road 352 and County Road 126.
According to the Montana Highway Patrol, several occupants of the pickup truck got out of the vehicle, including a one-year boy.
The MHP report states that the 28-year old male driver "put the vehicle in reverse to exit the driveway, unaware that the juvenile was behind the vehicle."
The vehicle struck the child, who died at the scene. No other details have been released at this point.
PONDERA COUNTY: One person died and three others were injured in a one-vehicle crash in Pondera County on Monday, August 12, 2024. It happened at about 2:30 p.m. along BIA Route near mile marker 4, near the community of Heart Butte.
The driver of the Chevy Impala was a 23-year male from Spokane, Washington. The passengers were a 19-year old male from Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada; a 17-year old male from Spokane; and an 18-year old male from Spokane.
According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the car was northbound on BIA Route 1 and entered a right-hand curve. The car crossed into the southbound lane and began slide, causing it to go off the road where it hit a delineator post. The car then began to rotate, and the driver-side tire furrowed into the soft soil, causing it to roll twice and crash through a fence.
All four were taken to the Indian Health Service clinic in Browning. The 19-year old male from Lethbridge died; his name has not been released at this point. NOTE: The MHP report says the young man who died was from Lethbridge, but family members have contacted MTN News to say that he was actually from Heart Butte.
The nature and severity of the injuries sustained by the others have not been disclosed. The MHP says that all four were wearing seatbelts, and that alcohol and speed may have been factors in the crash.
GALLATIN COUNTY: One person died in a two-vehicle crash in Gallatin County on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. It happened at about 6:25 p.m. near the intersection of Blackwood Road and Gooch Hill Road.
The crash involved two vehicles - the first was a Subaru Impreza driven by a 27-year old man from Oregon, with a 29-year old male passenger from Georgia. The second vehicle was a Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by a 57-year old man from Bozeman.
According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the motorcyclist was northbound on Gooch Hill Road when the Subaru turned left onto the road from Blackwood Road. The MHP says the motorcyclist was speeding and "attempted to slow for vehicle 1, but lost control of the motorcycle and crashed."
The motorcyclist died due to his injuries, and he was not wearing a helmet, according to the MHP. The man's name has not yet been released.
The two people in the Subaru were not seriously injured; they were wearing seatbelts. The MHP report says that alcohol may have been a factor in the crash.
DEER LODGE COUNTY: One person died and two others were injured in a two-vehicle crash in Deer Lodge County on Monday, August 12, 2024. It happened at about 10 a.m. near the intersection of Galen Road and South Frontage Road near the town of Anaconda.
The two vehicles involved were a Chevy Cobalt driven by a 27-year old man from New Port Richey, Florida; and a Honda Odyssey driven by a 26-year old man from Deer Lodge, with a female passenger also from Deer Lodge.
According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the driver of the Chevy was eastbound on Galen Road, and the driver of the Honda was southbound on South Frontage Road.
The MHP says the driver of the Chevy failed to yield the right of way and pulled into the intersection. The driver of the Honda swerved to avoid a collision, but the Honda hit the driver-side door of the Chevy. The Chevy was pushed off the road and overturned onto its roof. The Honda went off the road to the left and overturned onto its right side.
The driver of the Chevy died at the scene; his name has not been released at this point. The two people in the Honda were taken to a hospital in Anaconda; the nature and extent of their injuries has not been disclosed.
The MHP says that all three people were wearing seatbelts, and that alcohol and speed were not factors in the crash.
PONDERA COUNTY: A 44-year old man from Idaho died in a motorcycle crash in Pondera County on Sunday, August 11, 2024. It happened just before noon along Interstate 15 near mile marker 344.
According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the man was heading north on I-15 when the rear tire of his motorcycle blew out. He apparently was not able to gain control of the motorcycle, and was thrown from the motorcycle and landed in a ditch.
The MHP says the man died at the scene; his name has not been released. According to the MHP, the man was not wearing a helmet. Impaired driving and/speed were not factors in the crash.
FLATHEAD COUNTY: One person died and two were injured in a two-vehicle crash in Flathead County on Friday, August 9, 2024. It happened at about 9:45 a.m. along Montana Highway 83 near mile marker 86, several miles northeast of Bigfork.
According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the collision involved an Audi A6 driven by a 46-year old woman from Butte, who was wearing a seatbelt. She was the only occupant of the car. The second vehicle was a Toyota Tundra driven by a 21-year old man from Lakeside, who was wearing a seatbelt. There was a 21-year old male passenger in the Tundra, also from Lakeside.
Investigators believe the driver of the Audi was trying to make a left turn on to Wolf Creek Ranch Road when she crossed into oncoming traffic, and the vehicles collided. The driver of the Audi died at the scene; her name has not yet been released. The two occupants of the Toyota were taken to Logan Health in Kalispell with what are said to be "serious" injuries.
According to the MHP, impaired driving is suspected as a factor in the crash, although the report does not indicate which driver may have been impaired.
