Five people died in recent crashes across Montana.
STILLWATER COUNTY: Two people died and one person was injured in a two-vehicle crash on Monday, August 26, 2024. It happened at about 8:50 p.m. several miles southwest of Columbus, near mile marker 41 of MT Highway 78.
A 69-year old man from Hawaii, and a 68-year old man from Columbus were in a Toyota RAV4, and an 83-year old man from Columbus was driving a GMC Sierra.
According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the Toyota was southbound and the GMC was heading north. One of the vehicles crossed the center-line; the MHP is not yet sure which vehicle. The vehicles collided head-on, and the two men in the Toyota both died; their names have not been released at this point.
The driver of the GMC was taken to a Stillwater Billings Clinic in Columbus; the nature and extent of his injuries has not been disclosed. According to the MHP, all three people were wearing seatbelts.
Impaired driving is suspected as a factor in the crash, but the MHP report does not indicate which driver may have been impaired.
BEAVERHEAD COUNTY: A 61-year old man from Burley, Idaho, died several days after a one-vehicle crash on August 18, 2024.
According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the man was driving a tractor along I-15 near mile marker 26 just north of Dell when he went off the road. He tried to re-enter the road, and the tractor rolled.
He was taken a hospital in Dillon where he later died. He was the only occupant of the vehicle.
The man was wearing a seatbelt; impaired driving was not a factor. The name of the man has not been released.
MISSOULA COUNTY: A 64-year old man from Kent, Washington, died in a one-vehicle crash on Wednesday, August 28, 2024.
According to the MHP, the man was driving a Dodge Ram pickup truck near Frenchtown west of Missoula at about 12:20 a.m.
He was westbound on the I-90 off-ramp when the truck swerved off the right side of the road, went down an embankment, and rolled.
The man died at the scene; his name has not been released. He was the only occupant of the vehicle.
The MHP says that alcohol is suspected as a factor, and the man was not wearing a seatbelt.
FLATHEAD COUNTY: A 26-year old man from Hillsboro, Oregon, died in a one-vehicle crash on Tuesday, August 27, 2024.
It happened along Managhan Lane near US Highway 2 about three miles north of Kila at about 11:20 p.m.
According to the MHP, the man was driving south on Managhan Lane in a Toyota Sequoia when he failed to negotiate a left-hand curve.
The Toyota went off the road and crashed into a fence, and then continued on a gravel parking lot and crashed into parked trailer.
The driver of the Toyota died at the scene; he was the only occupant of the vehicle. His name not been released.
The MHP says that the man was wearing a seatbelt, and that impaired driving was not a factor in the crash.
