Head-on collision kills one, injures five

HOT SPRINGS - A two-vehicle accident occurred on Montana highway 28 at mile marker 17 Sunday, Oct.7 that resulted in multiple injuries; one of which needed air transport to Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Montana Highway Patrol officer Darlene Lee was on scene to investigate the crash, and confirmed details regarding the incident.

“It appears that the one vehicle (a tan Toyota Sedan with Washington plates) was going off the side of the road and over-corrected,” Officer Lee said. “Then went into the opposite lane and collided with the truck (a red Ford F-150 with Montana plates).”

Lee also confirmed that each vehicle had been carrying three passengers. All were transported from the scene to Clark Fork Valley Hospital as well as Kalispell. The roof of the Toyota sedan had to be cut off by authorities in order to extricate the front passenger.

Information regarding the conditions of the occupants was unavailable on Sunday; however, authorities have reported the front passenger of the Toyota, the male that was air-lifted to Kalispell, died at the hospital.

The sedan had been traveling in the south-bound lane when it collided with the truck. Hot Springs Volunteer Fire Department Chief Randy Woods said the force of the collision was so strong, the truck was laying on its side when they first arrived on scene.

Valley Towing out of Plains brought two rigs to haul the vehicles from the scene. The sedan was in pieces in the ditch beside the highway, and Valley Towing employees had to pick up many pieces before beginning the long process of hauling the sedan from the ditch.