Friday, December 26, 2025
37.0°F

Traffic wrecks, including a fatal, scattered across south Lincoln Co.

SCOTT SHINDLEDECKER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 hour, 59 minutes AGO
by SCOTT SHINDLEDECKER
Hagadone News Network | December 26, 2025 1:50 PM

First responders in south Lincoln County spent the day after Christmas at several traffic accidents as slushy snow and ice made for bad road conditions.

According to Montana Highway Patrol's incident log, the first accident was reported at 3:57 a.m. Friday on Kootenai River Road near Pemmican Trail. It was listed as a fatal crash, but no further details were immediately available.

The next was reported at 12:22 p.m. on Highway 56 (Bull Lake Road) at mile marker 27. No injuries were reported.

At 12:48 p.m. a third wreck was reported on Bowkers Street at the intersection of U.S. 2. An injury was reported.

A fourth accident, also including an injury, was reported at 2:15 p.m. on U.S. 2 in the Whiskey Hill area. A pickup truck and a SUV were apparently involved with both having extensive damage. 

That accident delayed traffic for some time before the wreckage was removed from the scene.

Known responders included Libby Volunteer Ambulance, Montana Highway Patrol, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Libby Police Department, Libby Volunteer Fire Department and Bull Lake Volunteer Fire Department.

No other details were available.

Law enforcement did urge motorists to slow down to poor road conditions.

The incident log also indicated Flathead County had multiple slideoff crashes and one wreck with an injury.

In addition, a MHP report gave details about a two-vehicle crash Tuesday, Dec. 23, that had three fatalities, one of them a 9-year-old boy.

The accident occurred at 11:25 a.m. on Interstate 90 near Drummond when a Hyundai Elantra headed west, driven by a 40-year-old Missoula woman, lost control, slid into the eastbound lane and into the path of a Volvo tractor trailer.

The Elantra was split into three pieces. The first piece came to rest on the interstate and caught fire while the second piece came to rest beyond the fire. The third piece remained underneath the tractor trailer, which traveled off the right side of the road and through a right-of-way fence.

All three people in the Elantra were declared dead on the scene. In addition to the Missoula woman and the 9-year-old boy, a 31-year-old man from Marion also perished. The child’s residence was not known.

It was not known if they were wearing seat belts.

The tractor trailer was driven by a 34-year-old man from Ogden, Utah.  He was wearing a seat belt and suffered no injuries.

The road conditions were described as wet and icy and speed was a suspected factor in the crash.

ARTICLES BY SCOTT SHINDLEDECKER

Traffic wrecks, including a fatal, scattered across south Lincoln Co.
December 26, 2025 1:50 p.m.

Traffic wrecks, including a fatal, scattered across south Lincoln Co.

Law enforcement did urge motorists to slow down to poor road conditions.

Lincoln County to launch storm resource center; water still available for residents
December 24, 2025 7 a.m.

Lincoln County to launch storm resource center; water still available for residents

In response to the natural disasters that have affected south Lincoln County, the county Health Department will open a Winter Storm Resource Center next week in Libby.

Two men charged after incident involving firewood
December 26, 2025 7 a.m.

Two men charged after incident involving firewood

Bailey allegedly said something about the man smoking crack...