A 62-year-old Missoula man died in an early morning crash Friday, Dec. 26 near Libby.

According to a Montana Highway Patrol crash report, the man was driving a BMW Z3 west on Kootenai River Road at about 3:57 a.m., when he struck a tree head-on after failing to negotiate a turn. The driver was not wearing a seatbelt and died on impact, according to the report.

A 44-year-old male passenger from Post Falls, Idaho, was injured and taken to Cabinet Peaks Medical Center. He also was not wearing a seat belt.

Alcohol and speed were considered factors in the crash. Road conditions were listed as damp.

The accident was one of many that kept Lincoln County first-responders busy the day after Christmas.

A crash was reported at 12:22 p.m. on Montana 56 (Bull Lake Road) at mile marker 27. No injuries were reported.

Another came at 12:48 p.m. on Bowkers Street at the intersection of U.S. 2. An injury was reported.

A fourth accident, also including an injury, was reported at 2:15 p.m. on U.S. 2 in the Whiskey Hill area. A pickup truck and a SUV were apparently involved with both having extensive damage. 

That accident delayed traffic for some time before the wreckage was removed from the scene.

Known responders included Libby Volunteer Ambulance, Montana Highway Patrol, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Libby Police Department, Libby Volunteer Fire Department and Bull Lake Volunteer Fire Department.

No other details were available.

Law enforcement urged motorists to slow down due to poor road conditions.

The incident log also indicated Flathead County had multiple slide-off crashes and one wreck with an injury on Dec. 26.

A Montana Highway Patrol report gave details about a two-vehicle crash Tuesday, Dec. 23, that had three fatalities, one of them a 9-year-old boy.

The accident occurred at 11:25 a.m. on Interstate 90 near Drummond when a Hyundai Elantra headed west, driven by a 40-year-old Missoula woman, lost control, slid into the eastbound lane and into the path of a Volvo tractor trailer.

The Elantra was split into three pieces. The first piece came to rest on the interstate and caught fire while the second piece came to rest beyond the fire. The third piece remained underneath the tractor trailer, which traveled off the right side of the road and through a right-of-way fence.

All three people in the Elantra were declared dead on the scene. In addition to the Missoula woman and the 9-year-old boy, a 31-year-old man from Marion also perished. The child’s residence was not known.

It was not known if they were wearing seat belts.

The tractor trailer was driven by a 34-year-old man from Ogden, Utah. He was wearing a seat belt and suffered no injuries.

The road conditions were described as wet and icy, and speed was a suspected factor in the crash.