Woman dies in snow crash

A woman from Newman Lake, Wash., died early Monday following a snowmobile accident northwest of Libby.

According to a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office press release, Ronda Jo Emerson, 41, was riding her snowmobile near Florence Lake in the Spread Creek drainage when she struck a tree head-on at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Emerson became pinned between the tree and her snow machine.

A 911 call for assistance was received by the Sheriff’s Office at 3:53 p.m. David Thompson Search and Rescue was called out at 4 p.m.

Emerson was treated at the scene of the accident and extricated by search-and-rescue responders. She was taken by Troy Volunteer Ambulance to St. John’s Hospital in Libby, where she later was pronounced dead.

In all, 26 people helped in the rescue. Members of Libby volunteer ambulance assisted along with Troy’s volunteers, Lincoln County sheriff’s deputies, search-and-rescue members, Corps of Engineer personnel from Libby Dam and other volunteers.

The area northwest of Libby received 21 inches of snow between 10 p.m. Sunday and 11 a.m. Monday.