Fatal accident on Highway 40

A 16-year-old Whitefish girl died in a vehicle accident Monday. 

Tabitha Mary Migwi died when the car she was driving pulled into the path of a logging truck on Montana 40 between Whitefish and Columbia Falls. 

Migwi was a student at Stillwater Christian School in Kalispell. A memorial service will be held at Hope Church (New Covenant), 436 Birch Grove Road, on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m.

The accident occurred at the intersection of Dillon Road and Montana 40. The Montana Highway Patrol says the crash happened at about 4:30 p.m. Monday. The weather did not appear to be a factor in the crash. The 64-year-old man driving the logging truck wasn’t injured.

The Columbia Falls Fire Department, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and Three Rivers Ambulance also responded to the scene.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation by the Montana Highway Patrol. Trooper Brian Thorne said the Highway Patrol will go out and map out the scene of the accident and conduct interviews with witnesses and the driver of the logging truck. 

“According to [the logging truck driver] and some other witnesses, there just wasn’t any time for him to really even do anything,” Thorne said. “She pulled out and there wasn’t enough room there. We don’t really know why.” 

Migwi was wearing her seat belt.