Car driver uninjured after ramming logging truck
<p>This photo was taken by David Phillips shortly after the logging truck was hit by a car Thursday morning on U.S. 93 south of Kalispell</p>
A car crashed into a logging truck that was traveling at highway speed on U.S. 93, but miraculously nobody was hurt.
“The truck was northbound, loaded with logs on 93,” said Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Robert Hensley. “The car was coming off of Rocky Cliff [Drive], crossing the highway.”
The car hit the cab of the logging semi, which belonged to Schlegel Enterprises in Kalispell. Then the car went underneath the trailer as it spilled logs along the east side of the highway.
“The trailer rolled up over top of the passenger side of the vehicle,” Hensley said.
Nobody was injured in the crash. A 61-year-old Kalispell man driving the passenger car was cited for failing to yield to the large logging truck.
Somers-Lakeside Fire Department personnel helped direct traffic and clean up the scene. A second logging truck was brought in to pick up the pile of large logs that had scattered in the ditch.
Northbound traffic was re-routed for a couple hours on U.S. 93. By about 9:30 a.m., officials opened one lane.
As for the driver of the passenger car, “He was shook up, but he was pretty happy he didn’t have any injuries,” Hensley said.
Reporter Matt Hudson may be reached at 758-4459 or by email at mhudson@dailyinterlake.com.