Idaho Law Blog

On December 31^st, 2024, two vehicles, a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado and a 2015 Ram 1500, collided head on at milepost 39 of SH28.

At 4:31 p.m. the 41-year-old male driver of the Chevrolet and his 37-year-old female passenger were traveling westbound down the highway. As they traveled, the driver veered slightly and crossed the center line, causing him to collide head on with the Ram, driven by a 51-year-old woman.

The driver of the Ram sustained substantial injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The other two individuals had their injuries checked and treated at the scene. All three individuals were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident.

Idaho State Police are continuing their investigation of a crash that occurred on December 27^th, 2024, in Kootenai County. The crash took place on interstate US95 at roughly 7:27 p.m.

At the time of the accident, a 23-year-old man from Trego, MT, was travelling northbound in a 2012 Toyota Tacoma when he struck another vehicle pulling out onto US95. The other vehicle, a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder driven by a 75-year-old man with a 92-year-old female passenger, was leaving intersecting street Parks Rd. As they began to turn south onto the highway their vehicle was struck by the Toyota leaving them all injured.

The driver of the Toyota and the driver of the Nissan were transported to a local hospital to receive treatment. The female passenger of the Nissan passed as a result of her injuries at the scene.

On December 24^th, two crashes occurred minutes apart from each other at the same location on US 20 in Bonneville County. Both crashes occurred around 7:40 a.m. at milepost 315, the exit to Ucon, Idaho.

The first of the crashes occurred on the overpass crossing US 20, and involved two vehicles, a white 2006 F150 and a white 2019 Chevrolet Silverado. The F150, driven by a 21-year-old man from Idaho Falls, Idaho, was traveling eastbound when he lost control of his vehicle. He swerved and crossed the center line, before striking the oncoming Chevrolet, driven by a 42-year-old man from Rigby, Idaho. Both men were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident and had their injuries checked and treated by emergency responders at the scene of the accident.

Minutes later, as traffic was backed up due to the initial accident, four additional vehicles all traveling on US 20, got into a multi-vehicle rear-end accident. The first driver, a 20-year-old man from Rexburg, Idaho, was traveling in a 2022 RAM 3500 when he failed to stop for traffic. He rear-ended the vehicle in front of him, a 2002 Ford Explorer driven by a 42-year-old man from Rexburg, Idaho. The resulting force pushed that vehicle into the two cars in front of it, a 2024 Subaru Outback driven by a 35-year-old woman from Rigby, Idaho, and then a 2020 Kia Telluride, driven by a 49-year-old man from Rigby, Idaho. All individuals involved were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. The driver of the Ford Explorer was transported to a local hospital, and all other parties had their injuries checked and treated at the scene by emergency responders.

Idaho State Police are continuing their investigation of a crash that occurred on December 17^th in Island Park, Idaho. The crash took place on US 20 near mile marker 386, at roughly 7:47 p.m. The two vehicles involved included a grey 2006 Toyota Matrix, and a white 2021 Freightliner.

The Toyota, carrying two women from Jacksonville, Florida, a 24-year-old woman with a 23-year-old female passenger, was traveling eastbound. As they were traveling, they veered over the center line and struck the other vehicle, the oncoming Freightliner. The Freightliner contained two men from Brooklyn, New York, the 31-year-old driver, and his 39-year-old passenger.

None of the individuals involved in this accident sustained major injuries. The occupants of the Toyota were taken to a local hospital for minor injuries, and the occupants of the Freightliner had their injuries checked and treated at the scene. All four individuals wore seatbelts at the time of the accident.

On December 20^th, 2024, a single vehicle containing two individuals left the roadway and crashed. The accident took place west of Swan Valley, Idaho, and occurred at roughly 11:06 p.m.

As the single vehicle, a white GMC Yukon, neared milepost 375, the 41-year-old female driver and her juvenile passenger failed to negotiate a steep curve and left the roadway. Their vehicle fell off the side of the road, and landed in a nearby body of water.

Both the driver and her passenger were transported to a local hospital to have their injuries checked and treated. At the time of the accident, neither individual was wearing a seat belt.

 
Two vehicles, a Jeep and a snowplow, collided on US 26 in Palisades, Idaho on December 14^th at 2:16 p.m.

At the time of the accident, the 2018 Jeep Renegade was traveling westbound on US 26 when he veered left crossing the center line. He collided head on with the oncoming snowplow, a 2020 Freight 114SD.

The driver of the Jeep, a 66-year-old man from Shelly, Idaho, sustained major injuries and passed at the scene. His 67-year-old female passenger sustained substantial injuries and was transported to a local hospital via ground ambulance. No report is given on the condition of the driver of the snowplow, a 48-year-old man from Swan Valley, Idaho. All three individuals were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident.

On December 14^th, a semi got into a collision on I 15 at roughly 10:38 a.m. The semi, a 2024 Freightliner, was traveling southbound near milepost 118 when the accident occurred. As he was driving, the 36-year-old male driver from Calgary, Alberta lost control of his vehicle and collided with the side guard rail.

At the time of the accident, he was wearing a seatbelt, and reports do not include any information about his injuries.

We hope he is well and is able to make a full recovery.

On Thursday, December 12^th, multiple vehicles on US 91 near the intersection of Legacy drive were involved in an elaborate collision. Many of the individuals were left injured and one person was fatally wounded.

At roughly 1:25 p.m, the first vehicle, a 2006 Mazda Tribute, was traveling northbound on US 91. The driver of this vehicle was a 77-year-old man from Logan, Utah. As he was traveling north, he passed the intersection of Legacy drive and stopped in the road, before reversing in the lane to get back to the intersection. A second vehicle, a 2021 Dodge Ram driven by a 32-year-old man from Franklin, Idaho, was traveling southbound with the intention of making a left turn onto legacy drive. He began to make his turn, but stopped between the two lanes in an attempt to avoid the reversing Mazda. Before he could move, a third vehicle, a 1999 Dodge Ram driven by a 20-year-old man from Franklin, came upon them traveling northbound. He tried to avoid the stopped vehicles and swerved into the southbound lanes and struck the 2021 Dodge, before continuing on to strike another fourth vehicle also traveling southbound. This vehicle was a 2018 Jeep Renegade, and it was driven by a 23-year-old woman from Preston Idaho. As she was traveling southbound, the 1999 Dodge swerved into her lane and they collided head on.

The drivers of the Mazda and the 2021 Dodge were both wearing seatbelts and they only sustained minor injuries. The driver of the 1999 Dodge was not wearing a seatbelt, but also only sustained minor injuries. The 23-year-old driver of the Jeep was wearing a seatbelt, but she sustained major injuries and passed at the scene.

Idaho State Police are continuing their investigation of a crash involving a single vehicle that occurred on December 11^th, 2024. The crash took place on Upper River Road near block 1700.

The single vehicle involved was a silver 2012 Kia Sorento driven by an 18-year-old man from Sandpoint, Idaho. As he was traveling westbound, at roughly 2:54 a.m, when he lost control of the vehicle and crossed over to the eastbound side of the road, before exiting the roadway and striking a tree. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident and was taken to a local hospital by ground ambulance for his injuries.

We hope he is able to make a full and speedy recovery.

In Cassia County, Idaho two vehicles got into an accident on December 7^th, 2024, just outside of Delco. The vehicles were traveling westbound on I 86 at mile post 12 at the time of the accident.

At roughly 2:17 p.m, a 43-year-old woman from Englewood, Colorado driving a red 2003 Subaru Legacy, was traveling westbound when she collided with another car. The other vehicle, a 2018 Buick Enclave, was also traveling westbound driven by a juvenile from Boise, Idaho. When the vehicles collided, they were both sent off the roadway, before rolling and landing in a ditch.

The driver of the legacy sustained major injuries and passed at the scene. She was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident. The driver of the Buick was wearing a seat belt and sustained no major injuries. His injuries were treated on the scene and he was not taken to a hospital.