Dayton man dies in U.S. 93 crash

A Dayton man died Thursday morning in a single-vehicle accident on U.S. 93 near Dayton.

Leroy Carlson, 43, was pronounced dead at the scene after the southbound 1992 Toyota Tacoma,  in which he was a passenger left the roadway at mile marker 83.7 just north of Dayton, Montana Highway Patrolman Andy Horton said.

Two men on their way to work noticed the vehicle in a field around 7 a.m. and called 911, Horton said.

“For unknown reasons, the driver crossed over the northbound lane of traffic, entered a ditch area on the east side of the highway and struck a Wild Horse Road sign,” Horton said. “The vehicle became airborne before re-contacting the ground and rolling several times, with the vehicle ending up on its wheels.”

Both men were ejected from the vehicle, Horton said, and Carlson died from trauma endured during the incident.

The driver was airlifted to Kalispell Regional Medical Center before being flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Horton believed the driver sustained several fractures along his spine and broken ribs but remained conscious. 

“Both men were not wearing their seat belts, but upon examination it appears both would have survived if they were wearing their seat belts,” he said. “There was no reason anyone should have died in this accident.”

Speed doesn’t appear to be a factor and it seems the driver did not overcorrect, Horton said.

“There were straight tracks and there were no signs of heavy braking,” he said.

Lake County Deputy Coroner Rick Lenz said Carlson’s body was sent to the medical examiner’s office in Missoula for further examination.

It is unknown if alcohol or drugs were involved in the accident, and Horton said the investigation is ongoing.