Friday, January 31, 2025
30.0°F

Crash injures three

Eric Schwartz/Daily Inter Lake | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 14 years, 4 months AGO
by Eric Schwartz/Daily Inter Lake
| September 4, 2010 2:00 AM

photo

An ambulance heads past a boat that came loose from a pickup truck during a collision at the Montana 82 bridge over the Flathead River on Friday evening.

Three people were being treated for non-life threatening injuries Friday night after a truck hauling a boat collided with two other vehicles on Montana 82 just west of Sportsmen’s Bridge.

The man driving the pickup truck was expected to be booked into jail on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, according to the Montana Highway Patrol.

Trooper Jason Fetterhoff said the westbound Dodge Ram pickup was hauling a trailer and boat just before 5 p.m. when it started to fishtail as it approached the bridge.

The truck traveled into the eastbound lane, narrowly averting a head-on collision with an oncoming Honda passenger vehicle.

Fetterhoff said the trailer hit the Honda, sending the boat and trailer airborne. The trailer landed on a Dodge Avenger traveling behind the Honda, he said.

At that point, the Avenger rear-ended the Honda.

Three people — the man driving the Honda, his wife and teenage daughter  — were being treated for injuries at Kalispell Regional Medical Center as of press time. No additional injuries were reported.

Traffic was halted in both directions for two hours while emergency responders cleared the scene. The Bigfork Fire Department provided traffic control. Backups were minimized as fire department personnel stopped vehicles at the intersection of U.S. 93 and rerouted them when possible.

One lane of traffic was reopened as of 7 p.m. The boat still was blocking the westbound lanes and the truck — bearing Alberta license plates — was high-centered on the guardrail with both driver’s-side tires lifted off the ground.

The names of those injured in the crash and the driver of the truck had not been released as of press time.

Reporter Eric Schwartz may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at eschwartz@dailyinterlake.com.

MORE IMPORTED STORIES

Mattawa woman injured in Vantage Bridge smash-up
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 10 years, 9 months ago
Four hurt in highway crash
Daily Inter-Lake | Updated 15 years, 9 months ago
Two injured when semi hits cars near Vantage
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 10 years, 9 months ago

ARTICLES BY ERIC SCHWARTZ/DAILY INTER LAKE

June 10, 2011 2 a.m.

Woman pleads guilty to taking part in casino crime

The young Bigfork woman accused of helping stage a robbery at a Columbia Falls casino last year pleaded guilty to felony theft Thursday in Flathead District Court.

Tunnel project ahead of schedule
May 18, 2011 2 a.m.

Tunnel project ahead of schedule

The construction of a pedestrian tunnel beneath U.S. 93 at Flathead Valley Community College is currently about three days ahead of schedule, according to a project manager with the Montana Department of Transportation.

April 16, 2011 2 a.m.

Getaway driver gets four-year term

The man who drove a getaway vehicle — after his sister’s failed attempt at stealing an elderly woman’s purse caused the woman serious injuries — was sentenced Thursday.