Authorities identify woman from fatal crash

Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino identified a Kalispell woman who died in a traffic crash Saturday night.

Judith Schultz, 80, died in a three-vehicle collision Saturday on Montana 82 and Sportsman’s Bridge near Bigfork.

Montana Highway Patrol responded to the scene at 7:30 p.m. Schultz was driving a 2001 Mercedes-Benz westbound when it abruptly crossed the center line into oncoming traffic and hit an eastbound 2015 Nissan Rogue head-on. The two vehicles reportedly spun out and a third vehicle, a 2013 Volkswagen Passat, which was also traveling eastbound, was unable to avoid the collision and hit the Nissan.

Schultz was declared dead at the scene.

The driver of the Nissan, a 22-year-old Missoula woman, was transported to Kalispell Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Her passenger, a 23-year-old Missoula man, was uninjured.

The driver of the Volkswagen, a 54-year-old woman, was also uninjured as were her three passengers, a 53-year-old man, a 25-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman, all of Bigfork.

Everyone involved in the crash were wearing their seat belts, the Highway Patrol said, adding that the cause of the collision is suspected to be medical-related.