Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Accident with snowplow leads to fatality

Collision on U.S. Route 20 east of Carey also severely injures passenger


By JON DUVAL
Express Staff Writer

An accident between a snowplow and a car left one person dead and another in critical condition Monday night.

Wood River Fire & Rescue Chief Bart Lassman said that the accident took place last night around 7:45 p.m. on U.S. Route 20 east of Carey at the bottom of Tom Cat Hill, a twisty stretch of road that leads to the Craters of the Moon National Monument.

An Idaho State Police report stated that Boise resident Amy Habets was traveling southwest on the road, also known as U.S. 93, near milepost 223, when she lost control of her vehicle, a Chevrolet Cobalt. The car traveled to the left of the centerline and struck an Idaho Transportation Department snowplow heading northeast, driven by Arco resident Howard Morris.

Lassman confirmed that Habets and her passenger, Kelly Woodall, also from Boise, were extricated from the vehicle using the Jaws of Life and other cutting tools. Both Habets and Woodall were wearing seatbelts at the time and the car's airbags deployed, according to the Idaho State Police.

Habets, 32, was pronounced dead at the scene. Lassman said that Woodall, a 37-year-old male, suffered fractures to both femurs, as well as chest injuries. Woodall was transferred from a Carey Quick Response ambulance to a Wood River Fire & Rescue ambulance at 8:52 p.m., which transported him to St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center. He was then driven to St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls, from which he was airlifted to St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center.

Morris, 63, was taken to Lost River Medical Center in Arco and treated for minor injuries.

On Tuesday afternoon, Jennifer Krajnik, spokeswoman for St. Alphonsus, said that Woodall remained in critical condition, but did not provide any further details.

The crash is still under investigation by the Idaho State Police.

Jon Duval: jduval@mtexpress.com




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