Bigfork man identified as Montana 35 crash victim

by Sam Wilson Daily Inter Lake
| July 26, 2016 10:50 AM

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office has released the name of an 83-year-old Bigfork man killed in a Monday afternoon head-on collision on Montana 35 east of Kalispell.

Thomas Arnett died at the scene after his eastbound Jeep abruptly crossed the center line and struck a Dodge pickup truck driven by a 26-year-old Kalispell man, according to witnesses interviewed by Montana Highway Patrol troopers.

The other driver suffered minor injuries and refused medical treatment after he was transported to Kalispell Regional Medical Center, Trooper Jerril Ren said Monday evening. Neither vehicle was carrying any passengers.

Alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in the crash. Ren said Arnett was wearing his seat belt.

There have been 19 traffic fatalities in the district covered by Flathead, Lake and Lincoln counties so far this year, nearly double the number reported the same time last year, according to a weekly report released Tuesday by the Montana Department of Transportation.

Statewide, Montana’s 99 vehicular deaths are a slight decrease from last year at this time, when 104 traffic fatalities had been reported.