Two die in wreck on Evaro Hill

The victims in a four-car crash on Evaro Hill last Friday have been identified by Missoula County Sheriff Jeremiah Petersen as 19-year-old Alihn T. Anderson, of Columbia Falls and 17-year-old Brynn A. Courville of Dixon.

The accident occurred around 4 p.m. between mile markers four and five, and road conditions were described as wet, icy and slushy.

According to a report from the Montana Highway Patrol, a semi truck was southbound on Hwy. 93 when its trailer began to jackknife counter-clockwise and crossed the double yellow line. It slid down the road and crashed into a GMC Sierra that was northbound, killing the 19-year-old GMC driver and his female passenger. Neither was wearing a seatbelt.

A 26-year-old Ronan man driving an International MV series truck applied brakes, but still crashed into the semi’s trailer, causing it to rotate 180 degrees clockwise, spin off the opposite side of the road and lose its load of plyboard.

A 55-year-old Ronan man, driving a Chrysler Town and Country, attempted to avoid the accident by steering to the right, and hit the trailer of the semi.

The 52-year-old man driving the semi, from Winner, S.D., sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital. The two Ronan drivers were uninjured; all three were wearing seatbelts.

Speed is suspected to have been a factor.