There have been seven deaths on Montana roads within the last four days, according to the Montana Highway Patrol, including a teen and a pedestrian.
One person died and another was injured after they were hit by a vehicle in Great Falls on Monday, July 17. The incident happened at about 5:17 p.m. at the intersection of Central Avenue West and Sixth Street.
The Great Falls Police Department says that the two pedestrians were hit by a pickup truck. Emergency personnel responded to the scene and took the two victims to Benefis Health System hospital, where one of the victims died due to injuries sustained.
The name of the person who died has not yet been released. The other victim was treated and released.
Police said the pedestrians were crossing Central Avenue West on a red light. The driver of the pickup truck was not speeding and did not violate any traffic laws, according to police.
A 19-year old woman died in a one-vehicle crash on Monday, July 17, in Rosebud County. According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the crash happened at about 10:45 p.m. near mile marker 48 of Secondary Highway 447, about five miles north of Ashland.
The patrol said the woman was driving south in a GMC Yukon when she ran off the right side of the road and traveled along the ditch until she was able to get it back on the road. The vehicle then went off the left of the road and overturned in a ditch.
The woman, who the patrol said was not wearing a seatbelt, was partially ejected from the vehicle. According to the patrol, alcohol is suspected as a factor in the crash. The name of the woman has not been released.
A 42-year-old man died in a one-vehicle crash on Sunday, July 16, in Flathead County. According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the crash happened just after 9 p.m. near mile marker 141 of US Highway 2, about four miles east of Columbia Falls.
The patrol said the man was westbound in a Ford pickup truck. The truck drifted off the right side of the road, the driver over-corrected, and the vehicle rolled.
The man, who was from Kalispell, died at the scene. His name has not yet been released.
The driver was the only occupant of the vehicle. According to the patrol, the man was not wearing a seatbelt.
A 15-year-old boy died in a crash in Madison County on Friday, July 14. The crash happened near North Ennis Lake Road and Meadow Lake Drive east of McAllister just before 11 p.m.
According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the teen was driving west in a Chevrolet Suburban at "a high rate of speed." He lost control of the vehicle and over-corrected. The Suburban then overturned on the right side of the road.
The teen was thrown from the vehicle by the force of the crash and died at the scene. His name has not yet been released.
The patrol said the teen was not wearing a seatbelt, and that alcohol and excessive speed may have been factors in the crash.
A woman died after being hit by a vehicle in Blaine County on Monday, July 17. The incident happened near mile marker 443 just after 2 a.m.
According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the woman was trying to flag down a vehicle after her truck broke down.
The 24-year-old male driver of a Jeep Liberty was westbound on US Highway 2, did not see the woman and hit her.
The 59-year-old woman from East Helena was taken to a medical facility in Fort Belknap, where she died due to her injuries. Her name has not yet been released.
It was unclear whether the driver of the Jeep will be charged or cited.
A 56-year-old man died in a three-vehicle crash in Carbon County on Saturday, July 15. The crash happened along US Highway 212 south of Red Lodge just after noon.
According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the crash involved three motorcycles. The first motorcycle, driven by the 56-year-old man from Nevada, was northbound and the other two motorcycles were southbound.
Near mile marker 47, the first motorcycle "improperly negotiated a curve" and struck the other two motorcycles, which each had a male driver and a female passenger.
All drivers and passengers were taken to a medical facility in Red Lodge. The driver of the first motorcycle died while being transported.
According to the patrol, the man who died was not wearing a helmet. He was identified as Eric Furman.
The nature and severity of injuries to the others have not been released. The driver and passenger on the second motorcycle were not wearing helmets, according to the patrol, while the driver and passenger of the third motorcycle were wearing helmets.
The patrol said speed is believed to have been a factor.
A 42-year-old man died in a one-vehicle crash on Monday, July 17 in Lincoln County. According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the crash happened near mile marker 67 of US Highway 2 at about 12:25 a.m.
The patrol said the man was driving east in a Chevrolet pickup truck. He was the only occupant. The truck drifted off the right side of the road and hit the back of a guardrail.
The vehicle continued off an embankment, rolled several times, and crashed into a tall tree stump. The man, who the patrol said was from Libby, died at the scene. His name has not yet been released.
According to the patrol, the man was not wearing a seatbelt, and speed is believed to have been a factor in the crash.
