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Driver makes quick decision to stay safe in dust storm near Hardin

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Zero visibility, uncertainty where to steer and when it was safe.

That’s the experience for some during the series of crashes on Interstate 90 near Hardin on Friday night.

A Billings man who was driving with his uncle and cousins made it safely through the dust storm.

"You could just complete barely seeing anything outside of the vehicle," said Treston Big Hair. "We didn't even have time to turn down our music. I was just so focused on on the road and then worrying about other things at the same time, but I just don't focus on the road trying to get off and get into a safe place and try to calm down and situate ourselves."

Big Hair and his family were heading east on Interstate 90 toward Hardin when they got caught in the dust storm.

"They said just get off to the left side and I was like what about the right side and they said no get of to the left," said Big Hair. "Right when I turned to get off to the left with the car like barely clipped us."

They say the car that clipped them had not yet slowed down and they were still concerned.

"That's why it was so scary because you could just hear people trying to hit their brakes and they like smashed right into another car," said Jalen High Hawk. "We were bracing ourselves for it because his cars were coming to near like real fast and the prey hopes for the best and nobody hits you."

High Hawk, Treston's uncle, was riding in the backseat, and says they stayed in the car until emergency crews arrived. And when they knew there was no chance of getting hit by a vehicle.

"Nobody could get out of their cars," High Hawk said. "It was not even safe at all. My whole life flashed before my eyes. It was scary. Apocalyptic. There were cars like way back there on the road on the highway. There were cars on the side over there by the fence. and there were cars smashed against each other.

Big Horn County Sheriff Pete Big Hari, Preston's grandfather and Jason's father, was not in town when the crashes happened. And he's thankful his family came out of this safely.

"Every day I get up, pray for my kids, my grandkids and all that," said Pete Big Hair. "They know how close that other vehicle came to making full contact with them you know. Barely nicked them but that's how close they came but I think they got they will say protected through prayer."

"We were okay," High Hawk said. "It was just everyone else around us that were crashes."

"Prayers to the families." said Treston Big Hair.