Hwy. 93 crash injures eight

ARLEE — A Tuesday morning crash between a pickup truck and a Rimrock bus just south of Arlee sent eight people to the hospital, but none of the injuries were life threatening.

The accident occurred about 8:50 a.m. near mile marker 13 on Highway 93. The bus was travelling northbound at 70 m.p.h., the posted speed limit, behind a pickup truck when the truck apparently slowed to turn. According to five passengers on the bus, no lights on the truck indicated it was slowing or turning. When the bus driver realized the pickup had slowed considerably, he swerved into the southbound lane, trying to go around the truck. The pickup then attempted to turn left into a driveway, crossing through the southbound lane and collided with the bus, sending both off the road.

The driver of the pickup had to be extricated by Arlee fire and ambulance, the first responders on the scene, and was transported to St. Patrick’s Hospital with a compound fracture of his leg.

Seven of the 10 bus passengers were also transported to the hospital, four as a precautionary measure and three with minor injuries.

According to Trooper Philip Smart with the Missoula Highway Patrol, there are no indications that alcohol or speed were factors in the crash, however rainy conditions did play a part.

“Visibility and lights were factors,” Smart said. “It’s harder to pick up where things are on the roadway.”

The bus was headed from Missoula to Whitefish, with a stop in Polson scheduled.

Frenchtown fire, Missoula County deputies and Missoula, Flathead and Lake County highway patrols also responded to the scene.