Authorities say a man is dead and another is in critical condition after a multi-vehicle crash on a highway near Kalispell.
Thursday evening’s crash happened when a vehicle headed east on U.S. Highway 2 slowed to turn. Authorities say a speeding pickup truck two cars behind lost control and struck vehicles in both lanes.
Trooper Glen Barcus of the Montana Highway Patrol says two men between 20 and 30 years old and an 8-year-old boy were in the truck. The men were not wearing seat belts and were ejected.
Flathead County Sheriff identified the driver as 26-year-old Jonathan Wyatt of Kalispell and says he died of blunt-force trauma. Barcus says the adult passenger is in critical condition.
The boy and the driver of another vehicle were being treated for minor injuries.
Barcus says speed appears to be a cause of the crash, and the highway patrol also is investigating whether drugs were involved after finding paraphernalia.