Tragic crash kills 5 near Browning
(BROWNING) – WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION TODAY ON THE TRAGIC SINGLE
VEHICLE CRASH THAT KILLED 5 PEOPLE AND INJURED TWO, ON THE STARR SCHOOL ROAD
NORTHWEST OF BROWNING.
MONTANA HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER MICHAEL JENSEN SAYS THE ACCIDENT
OCCURRED JUST TWO MINUTES AFTER MIDNIGHT SATURDAY. JENSEN SAYS THE PICKUP
TRUCK HAD 7 OCCUPANTS AND THAT THE 28-YEAR OLD DRIVER MAY HAVE BEEN
DISTRACTED BY A CELL PHONE WHEN HE DRIFTED OFF THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE
DRIVER OVERCORRECTED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS ACROSS THE ROADWAY
WHERE IT BEGAN TO ROLL MULTIPLE TIMES.
NONE OF THE OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS AND MOST WERE EJECTED. FOUR,
WERE PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE AND A 5TH SUBJECT DIED WHILE BEING FLOWN TO THE
HOSPITAL IN KALISPELL.
THE FINAL TWO WERE TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES. THOSE WHO DIED IN THE ACCIDENT
INCLUDED THE DRIVER, A 28-YEAR OLD MALE, A 21-YEAR OLD FEMALE, A 17-YEAR OLD FEMALE, A
23-YEAR OLD FEMALE AND A 24-YEAR OLD MALE, ALL FROM THE BROWNING AREA.
THE HIGHWAY PATROL SAYS AT THIS TIME IT IS NOT KNOWN IF ALCOHOL WAS A FACTOR,
BUT SPEED AND THE NON-USE OF SEAT BELTS WERE CONTRIBUTIG FACTORS.