Kalispell teen dies from traffic injuries

The Daily Inter Lake

Authorities announced that Kyle McCullugh, 16, has died of injuries received Saturday, when he was struck by a pickup while he and another teen were walking along Montana 200 near Plains.

The Kalispell boy, who had been flown to St. Patrick Hospital and put on life support, died Sunday. He had been declared brain dead on Saturday.

His companion, 19-year-old Bradley Williams of Somers, died at the scene of the accident.

The Montana Highway Patrol reported the two had been walking along the highway when a pickup driven by Daniel Resler, 32, drifted off the right side of the road and hit them.

He overcorrected and landed in the opposite ditch, then was taken to Clark Fork Valley Hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Blood samples from Resler have been sent to the Montana State Crime Lab in Missoula.

The case remains under investigation, and will be turned over to Sanders County Attorney Coleen Magera.

This brings to three the number of pedestrians who died in traffic accidents in the area recently. On Thursday, Duane J. Pierre, 47, was killed after being hit by a semi tractor-trailer on U.S. 93 south of Ronan.

A fourth pedestrian, 13-year-old Alex Becker of Columbia Falls, was hit as he was crossing U.S. 2 West on his way to school Thursday morning. He has improved considerably since being admitted to St. Patrick Hospital for treatment of critical injuries, his mother reported Monday.