Two women who died in Sunday crash identified

Two women who died in a two-vehicle collision on U.S. 2 Sunday just north of Glacier Park International Airport have been identified.

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victims as Holly Richards of Bozeman and Linda Contreras of Riverside, California.

According to the Montana Highway Patrol, Richards, 32, was traveling northbound on U.S. 2 when her vehicle, a Ford Fusion, crossed over the left-turn lane for unknown reasons and into the right southbound lane of traffic shortly before noon.

There she collided with Contreras, 40, head-on near mile marker 131 and Wishart Road.

There was no sign that either vehicle had attempted to brake, and both women were wearing seatbelts. The women were pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash is still under investigation and the cause is still unknown; however, according to the Highway Patrol report, drugs are suspected as a contributing factor.

Reporter Mary Cloud Taylor can be reached at 758-4459 or mtaylor@dailyinterlake.com.