Head-on crash in Evergreen sends 2 to hospital

Icy road conditions led to a two-vehicle crash in Evergreen that sent two people to the hospital Wednesday morning.

Fog, light mist and freezing temperatures led to the slick conditions on Shady Lane where a 1982 Ford pickup truck slid into the path of a Buick passenger car, according to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Rick Mehring.

A man, described as possibly in his 20s, was driving the pickup south on Shady Lane when he appeared to lose control on the icy road and collided with the car, driven by a woman, described as being in her 50s or 60s. Both vehicles had severe damage.

The car had airbags, which deployed, but the truck didn’t. It wasn’t immediately known if either driver was wearing a seat belt.

Mehring said both drivers were taken to Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

The icy road conditions even had firefighters and tow truck drivers walking carefully as they cleaned up the scene. The road was closed for a period of time while a Montana Department of Transportation truck waited to finish its work treating the road with de-icer.

Evergreen Fire Rescue units, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, as well as two trucks from Hill Brothers and OHS Towing responded to the scene.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 406-758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.