Black ice a factor in fatal accident on U.S. 2 at McGregor Lake
Breeana Laughlin Daily Inter Lake | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years AGO
A husband and wife from Kalispell died after being ejected from a vehicle on U.S. 2 at McGregor Lake early Tuesday morning.
A 1995 Toyota Land Cruiser was traveling westbound down a hill with a left curve when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, according to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper David Mills.
The roads appeared to clear, but black ice was present on the roadway at the time of the crash, Mills said.
It appears the driver attempted to regain control several times after hitting the black ice, but the vehicle slid off the northern corner of the road at 1:33 a.m. Tuesday, the trooper said.
The vehicle, which contained three adult males and three adult females, rolled and struck several trees. A 31-year-old man and 33-year-old woman were reportedly ejected from a third-row seat of the vehicle and died on scene.
The other four passengers were all sent to Kalispell Regional Medical Center to be treated for non-life threatening injuries, said Mills.
Five of the six passengers were related, he noted. All of the vehicle’s occupants are reportedly from Kalispell.
The man and woman who were killed were not wearing seat belts, according to Mills. The driver was not speeding at the time of the crash, and alcohol is not determined to be a factor, he added.
The names of the victims are being withheld until family is notified.
ARTICLES BY BREEANA LAUGHLIN DAILY INTER LAKE
Couple loses everything in truck fire
A young couple, their 10-month-old daughter and two dogs were embarking on a new adventure, moving to Bigfork from Philadelphia, Mississippi, when things took a sudden and scary turn.
Voters to decide Evergreen Fire levy
A spike in emergency calls, a revenue shortfall and a high rate of turnover is making it difficult to sustain emergency services in Evergreen, district officials report. According to Evergreen Fire Chief Craig Williams, the fire district has experienced a 224 percent increase in call volume over the past decade, while tax revenue has remained static.
Kalispell officer honored for saving man's life with CPR
May 23, 2017 was Kalispell Police officer Jason Parce’s day off, but the fish weren’t biting on the Flathead River. Acting on a whim, he volunteered to pick up a shift.