BILLINGS — Two Wolf Point residents died and a third was injured in a multi-vehicle crash Sunday near Evanston in southwestern Wyoming.
According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the crash happened at about 2 p.m. on Interstate 80.
The patrol said a Toyota RAV-4 and Ford F-150 were stopped in traffic due to an earlier crash blocking the road when the driver of a GMC Sierra failed to see the stopped traffic and collided with the Toyota, which then hit the back of the Ford.
The driver of the Toyota, 71-year-old William J. Baker, was seriously injured and later died after being taken by helicopter to a hospital in Utah.
A juvenile passenger, Scobey J. Baker, died at the scene, the patrol said. Both were wearing a seatbelt. A second passenger, 19-year-old Kade Baker, was injured and taken to a hospital in Evanston.
The driver of the GMC has been identified as 29-year-old Greeley, Colorado, resident Braylin Wertenberger, who was not wearing a seatbelt. Wertenberger was taken to a hospital in Evanston.
A passenger has been identified as 42-year-old Brighton, Colorado, resident Mollie Wright. Wright was not wearing a seatbelt and was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Utah.
The driver of the Ford has been identified as 36-year-old Bluffdale, Utah, resident Rosario Ortiz Garcia. Ortiz Garcia was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured in the crash. The passengers in the Ford have been identified as 46-year-old West Valley, Utah, resident Maria Lopez, and one juvenile passenger. They were both restrained correctly, and Lopez was transported to a hospital in Evanston.
The patrol said driver inattention and speed on the part of Wertenberger are being investigated as potential contributing factors.
There is no word yet on whether any charges will be filed.
