Seven killed, multiple people injured in recent crashes
By Kendra Evensen kevensen@journalnet.com
The scene of a recent accident in which a car collided with a pickup and then crashed into the Shake Out restaurant in Twin Falls. The driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene. Vehicle deaths during Idaho's '100 Deadliest Days of Summer,' which run from Memorial Day to Labor day, were up this year. Courtesy photo
At least seven people died and many others were injured in recent crashes that occurred on Idaho roadways.
It was a tragic ending to the holiday weekend and the timeframe known as the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer.”
Bill Kotowski, public information officer for the Idaho Transportation Department, said there were 101 deaths reported during the timeframe between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That’s 10 more than occurred last year and, sadly, the highest number of deaths reported in the last five years.
“These crashes mean that there are 101 people who were loved that are no longer with us. There are families across the state who are not whole anymore, there are friendships that have ended prematurely because of crashes, and that is very sad,” Kotowski said. “We have to do better as a community to look out for our safety and the safety of those around us. Let’s put away the distractions, buckle up and never drive drunk.”
There have been more than 160 deaths throughout the year, Kotwoski said, adding that that number is also up from 156 during the same timeframe in 2017.
Multiple fatal crashes were reported throughout the state over the weekend.
On Friday, Idaho State Police responded to a motorcycle crash on State Highway 31 near Victor.
They say Gary McCord, 57, of Cortland, Illinois, was driving a Harley-Davidson motorcycle around 5 p.m. when he failed to negotiate a curve. The motorcycle left the roadway and went down an embankment.
Police say McCord, who was not wearing a helmet, was ejected during the incident. He was transported by air ambulance to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls but later succumbed to his injuries.
Two people from Mountain Home were also killed in a motorcycle crash on Interstate 84, near the Sand Hollow Exit west of Caldwell on Saturday afternoon.
State police say Christopher Pierpont, 42, was driving a 2007 Yamaha motorcycle when he hit a construction barrel and lost control of the vehicle.
Pierpont and his passenger, Christine Pierpont, 43, were ejected in the incident and they both died at the scene, police said.
The Pierponts were wearing helmets.
A 26-year-old Twin Falls man died in a crash in Twin Falls City on Sunday afternoon.
State police say Brandon Worring was driving a 2008 Subaru Impreza when he failed to yield to a red light at an intersection and was subsequently struck by a Ford F-350 pickup.
Worring, who was wearing a seat belt, succumbed to his injuries at the scene, police said.
There were also two fatal crashes on Monday.
One involved a single-vehicle fatality crash on State Highway 21 east of Lowman, a city in Boise County. State police say a 2004 Ford Ranger towing a trailer rolled.
Austin Smith, 18, of Nampa, was ejected during that crash and died at the scene. A juvenile was also transported by air ambulance to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, police said.
The second incident involved a 21-year-old man who died in a crash east of Nampa.
Police say the crash involved a 1992 GMC Sierra that ran a stop sign and struck a 2016 GMC Sierra.
Nampa resident Ethan Hayes, a passenger in the older vehicle, died at the scene, state police said. Several others were transported by ground ambulance.
Another fatal crash was reported on US 95 near Worley, a city in Kootenai County, early Tuesday morning.
State police say Shane Russell, 41, of Coeur d’Alene, struck a parked semi tractor trailer while driving into a weigh station. Russell died at the scene.
Authorities also reported multiple injury crashes over the weekend. Locally, there were injury accidents near Blackfoot, Idaho Falls and Soda Springs.
Blackfoot police say there was a vehicle versus pedestrian crash on Northwest Main near the east gate of the Eastern Idaho State Fair grounds on Monday night.
They’re still investigating that incident and aren’t releasing many details. But they did say the 59-year-old driver is from Blackfoot and the 36-year-old pedestrian is from Pocatello.
The pedestrian was transported to EIRMC with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries, Blackfoot police said.
Local troopers with the Idaho State Police also responded to a couple of injury crashes.
On Monday evening, there was a two-vehicle crash on US 26 east of Idaho Falls.
State police say Kaitlin Dardorff, 26, of Ririe, was driving west in a 2006 Subaru Tribeca when she struck a 2012 Ford Fusion that was traveling at a low rate of speed. Daniel Waisbrot, 84, of Idaho Falls was driving the Ford.
Police say both drivers were wearing their seat belts when the crash occurred.
Waisbrot was transported by ground ambulance to EIRMC. He was treated and released, according to hospital officials.
Two people were also injured in a crash on US 30 near State Highway 34 west of Soda Springs on Sunday afternoon.
Police say Eldon Peterson, 63, of Grace, was traveling west in a 2002 Ford Taurus when he attempted to make a left turn onto State Highway 34. He failed to yield to a 2015 Jeep Patriot, driven by Joan Paez, 37, of Idaho Falls, and the two vehicles crashed.
The Jeep rolled and landed on its top in a field, police said. The Ford stopped in the intersection.
Police said all occupants were wearing their seat belts.
Paez and her passenger, William Ross, 39, of Idaho Falls, were both transported by ground ambulance to Caribou Memorial Hospital in Soda Springs.
Efforts to obtain their conditions failed on Tuesday.
Peterson was not transported, police said.
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The 100 Deadliest Days of Summer are rapidly drawing to a close, and tragically, they’ve once again lived up to their name.
There have been 93 deaths on Idaho roads since Memorial Day, surpassing the 91 that occurred last year during the same timeframe, said Bill Kotowski, public information officer for the Idaho Transportation Department. The year as a whole has also seen an increase with 160 deaths since January compared to 156 in the same timeframe last year.
And the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer — the period between Memorial and Labor Days — isn’t even over yet.
Hoping to prevent more tragedies from occurring, law enforcement officers throughout the state are expected to be out in force during the holiday weekend. Idaho State Police and Idaho Transportation Department officials say officers will pay close attention to drivers’ behaviors and will especially watch for impaired drivers.
“The primary goal is to reduce the number of impaired drivers on the roadway this holiday weekend through education and strict enforcement,” according to a state police news release. “This means a violator’s chances of being caught, arrested and convicted are increased as a result of these efforts.”
Officers will be working overtime over the weekend, officials said, adding that their pay will come from the Idaho Department of Transportation’s Office of Highway Safety.
“Drivers suspected of intoxicated driving will be subject to having a search warrant issued for a blood draw if they attempt to refuse requests for a breath sample; prosecutors and judges are standing by to issue those warrants,” the news release states.
The Office of Highway Safety and law enforcement agencies will also use Facebook and Twitter to update Idahoans on the number of DUI arrests occurring, officials say.
But they are hoping officers won’t have to make those arrests.
They’re urging anyone who plans to drink — even just a little — over the weekend to designate a sober driver or use public transportation or a rideshare program to get home safely.
“Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, available on Google Play for Android devices and Apple’s iTunes Store for iOS devices,” the news release states. “SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend, and identifies the user’s location so he or she can be picked up.”
Officials also encourage people to take the keys away from friends who have been drinking and help them find a ride home. And they ask citizens to contact law enforcement if they see anyone who may be driving impaired.
“Drunk driving is not acceptable behavior,” Colonel Kedrick Wills, Idaho State Police director, said in the news release. “It is essential to plan a sober ride home before you ever leave for the party and every time we make that decision, we’re saving lives. That’s why, during the Labor Day holiday, we will make zero exceptions for drunk driving. There are just no excuses.”
This photo is of a fatal crash last month. Authorities say there have been 93 deaths on Idaho roads since Memorial Day. Doug Lindley/Idaho State Journal