One man dead in Kerr Dam crash Road crash

One man is dead following a crash last week just outside of Polson.

Patrick Allen Pierre III, 38, of the Pablo-Ronan area, died following a head-on collision at about 6 p.m. two miles south of Polson on Kerr Dam Road Friday, Aug. 10.

According to Montana Highway Patrol Sgt. Chan Barry, Pierre was driving a Ford Mustang southbound when he drifted into the northbound lane as he approached the first curve of the road.

Pierre corrected back into the southbound lane, only to again drift into the northbound lane, striking a Chrysler Town and Country van head-on.

Barry said Pierre was ejected and later pronounced dead at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson.

A female passenger in the Mustang, 36, and also of the Pablo-Ronan area, was flown to Kalispell Medical Regional Center with serious injuries.

The female driver of the van was flown to Providence St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula with life-threatening injuries, Barry confirmed.

While it is currently unknown if drugs and alcohol were a factor, Barry said that it does appear as though no one involved in the crash was wearing a seatbelt.

Assisting with the incident were Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Polson Police Department, Polson Ambulance and Polson Rural Fire Department.

The next day on Aug. 11, Barry said there were two consecutive incidents in the same area, just a short time apart.

At about 9:30 p.m. near mile marker 42 on U.S. Highway 93, a Mazda 3 traveling northbound struck a deer.

The two female occupants of the vehicle, from Utah, were not hurt, Barry said.

The deer’s carcass was partially in the southbound lane and shoulder when a Montana man traveling southbound on a motorcycle, struck the deer.

The man was thrown from the bike and taken to St. Luke’s in Ronan.Assisting with those two crashes were LCSO, Ronan Volunteer Fire Deparment and Ronan Ambulance.