Friday, October 29, 2010

Wrong way driver near Bliss causes fatal injury crashes

IDAHO STATE POLICE NEWS RELEASE - generated by our News Release ListServer
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IDAHO STATE POLICE NEWS RELEASE
Region 4 Patrol 218 West Yakima, Jerome, ID 83338-5904 (208) 324-6000
Fax (208) 324-7897
For further information, contact Capt. Robert Storm at (208) 324-6000 or (208) 736-3070

For Immediate Release: October 29th, 2010 at 2:20 a.m.
Contact: Trooper Gates and Trooper Dahl

On October 28th, 2010, at approximately 8:52 p.m. Idaho State Police investigated two crashes caused by a wrong way driver on Interstate 84 near Bliss.

Harold Carroll, 33 of Ontario OR, was traveling west on Interstate 84 near milepost 136 in his 2003 Suzuki Aerio when he swerved to avoid Gabriel Silva, 59 of Buhl, who was driving a 1988 Chevrolet pickup the wrong way in the westbound lanes of travel. In swerving, Harold lost control of his vehicle, causing it to leave the north side of the westbound lanes and overturn coming to rest on its wheels.

Gabriel continued driving the wrong way in the westbound lanes until milepost 141 where he crashed head-on into Shantay Henson, 21 of Pocatello, who was traveling westbound at the time in a 1995 Subaru Legacy.

The westbound lanes at milepost 141 were blocked for approximately 4 hours. Shantay was wearing her seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene. Gabriel was not wearing his seatbelt and was pronounced dead after being transported to St. Luke's Magic Valley Regional Medical Center in Twin Falls. Harold sustained non-life threatening injuries while wearing his seatbelt and was transported by ground ambulance to North Canyon Medical Center in Gooding.

Alcohol is suspected to be a factor in the incident pending further investigation. The injury crash at milepost 136 is being investigated by Trooper Dahl who was assisted on scene by Trooper Jussel and Gooding County Deputies and EMS personnel. The fatal crash at milepost 141 is under investigation by Trooper Gates with assistance from Lieutenant Haight, Sergeant Thompson, Trooper Wendler, Trooper Coleman, as well as Gooding County Deputies and EMS personnel, and the Idaho Transportation Department.


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