Trio of crashes blocks busy highway
<p>A Kalispell firefighter leans in to talk with fellow a fellow firefighter and the vehicle driver as they work to cut the roof off a rolled-over sport utility vehicle Monday morning in the center of U.S. 93 at the intersection with Four Mile Drive in Kalispell. One firefighter had climbed into the vehicle to protect the injured driver while the others worked to get her out safely.</p>
<p>Kalispell firefighters surround the driver of a rollover SUV in the center of Highway 93, at the intersection with Four Mile Drive, on Monday, August 20, in Kalispell.</p>
<p>An early view of a rollover accident on Highway 93, at the intersection of Four Mile Drive, on Monday, August 20, in Kalispell. Traffic was backed up along the highway in both directions. North bound was back up to south of Kalispell Regional Medical Center.</p>
Three motor vehicle accidents Monday tangled up traffic on U.S. 93 on the north side of Kalispell.
The most serious of the accidents required extrication of an elderly woman from a sport utility vehicle that rolled onto its side in the highway.
Kalispell Fire Chief Dave Dedman said the first crash involved three vehicles and no injuries at North Commons Way and U.S. 93 at about 8 a.m.
The second involved a Honda sport utility vehicle that swerved to avoid two motorcycles, rolling onto its side in the turning lane near Flathead Valley Community College at U.S. 93 and Grandview Drive.
“It required extrication to get the lady out of the vehicle, which was on its side,” Dedman said. “At some point she must have overcorrected to avoid and ended up flipping.”
Firefighters had to cut the roof off the Honda to free the woman from the SUV, which came to rest on the driver’s side.
The turning lane plus a northbound lane and a southbound lane were closed for more than an hour, backing up traffic in both directions. Dedman said the SUV driver was the only person hurt in the crash.
Another accident happened the Grandview intersection at about 1:40 p.m., involving three vehicles but no injuries that required medical transport. Traffic was backed up for nearly an hour, at one point as far south as Russell School.
“Traffic is so congested up there that any kind of blockage like that causes issues,” Dedman said.