Glacier Park head-on collision injures five

Two vehicles on Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road collided head-on Monday afternoon, injuring at least five people.

One person was airlifted by the ALERT helicopter and two people were taken by ground ambulance to Kalispell Regional Medical Center, with two others taken by ground ambulance to North Valley Hospital in Whitefish.

Hospital spokeswoman Allison Meilicke said one of the Kalispell Regional patients had been admitted by early Monday evening, while the other two were still being examined.

No information was available on the extent of their injuries, she said.

Glacier Park spokesman Margie Steigerwald said a total of nine people were involved in the accident about four miles up Sun Road where it winds along the south side of Lake McDonald.

The ALERT helicopter was dispatched to the crash at about 1:30 p.m. Pilot Ken Justice said emergency responders airlifted the victim who appeared to have the most serious injuries, but he noted the patient was conscious and speaking with medical personnel on the flight back to the hospital.

Reporter Sam Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at swilson@dailyinterlake.com.