One person died and several others were injured Saturday night in a fatal crash east of Mitchell that involved both vehicles and livestock.
Names of the those involved have not yet been released pending notification of families.
A 2014 Dodge Durango was westbound on Interstate 90 near mile marker 333 when it hit six cows that had entered the roadway from the north ditch. The vehicle came to a stop in the passing lane.
There were four occupants in the vehicle, all wearing seatbelts.The driver and front passenger were able to get one of the children in the backseat out of the vehicle before a westbound 2002 Chevrolet Impala collided with the rear of the Durango.
Two of the Durango passengers were transported by ambulance to the Mitchell hospital. A 33-year-old female sustained serious non-life threatening injuries. A five-month old female received life-threatening injuries and was later airlifted to a Sioux Falls hospital.
The 39-year-old male driver of the Chevrolet Impala was transported to the Mitchell hospital where he later died of his injuries. He was not wearing a seatbelt.
A separate crash also occurred near the initial crash scene when a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix rear-ended a 1999 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup which had slowed down while approaching the first crash scene. Both vehicles were westbound. All occupants in both vehicles were wearing seatbelts. The front seat passenger of the Pontiac Grand Prix was transported to the Mitchell hospital as a precaution.
Interstate 90 at mile marker 335 was closed for about two hours, reopening at 10:06 p.m. Six dead cattle were found at the scene of the crash.
South Dakota’s Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. Other agencies on scene were the Davison County Sheriff’s Office, Hanson County Sheriff’s Office, Mitchell Police Department, Mitchell Ambulance, Mitchell Fire Department and South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department.
SDDPS
