ST. IGNATIUS – Three people are dead after two cars collided on US Highway 93 North near the Nine Pipes Lodge north of St. Ignatius on Monday morning.
The accident happened at around 7 a.m. and closed that section of the highway for several hours.
One of the vehicles involved in the crash had two male passengers in their 20’s while the other car was driven by a woman in her 60’s.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation as Montana Highway Patrol continues to piece together what happened.
“The cause is still under investigation. Basically, you had a red Lincoln Town Car heading north on 93 and they hit this guard rail and caused them to go out into the southbound lane,” MHP Trooper Zach Miller said. “And then there was a black Chrysler 300 heading southbound about the same time and they collided about the center of the roadway.”
Drugs and or alcohol are not suspected to be a cause in the accident. The identities will be released once their families are notified.
(second report)
UPDATE: Highway 93 North in the Mission Valley between St. Ignatius and Ronan has been reopened to traffic after Monday’s morning’s triple fatal accident.
Additionally, a Montana Highway Patrol trooper at the scene has told MTN News that two men in their 20’s and one woman in her 60’s were killed in the accident that happened shortly after 7 a.m.
No identities or hometowns of the victims have been released at this time.
(first report)
NINE PIPES – Three people died in a two-vehicle accident Monday morning on U.S. Highway 93 north of St. Ignatius.
Lake County Sheriff Don Bell tells MTN News the crash was reported at after 7 a.m. on US Highway 93 North about one mile north of Nine Pipe Lodge.
Sheriff Bell says two vehicles were involved in the accident. One car was from out-of-state while the second vehicle had Montana plates.
Sheriff Bell said three people were killed in the crash and that the identities and ages will be released later after families have been notified.
The roadway is expected to be closed for several hours.
The Montana Department of Transportation reports that northbound traffic is being diverted via Montana Highway 200 to Montana Highway 212 and then back onto US Highway 93.
Meanwhile, southbound traffic is being diverted via Montana Highway 212 to Montana Highway 200 and then back onto US Highway 93.
-information from Melissa Rafferty and Mark Thorsell included in this report
