After more than a week, Idaho State Police have still not released information to clarify events surrounding a fatal traffic accident last week northeast of Jerome that claimed the life of a well-known Hailey woman.
Dayle Evan Fowler, 62, a philanthropist who donated money and her time to many charitable organizations in the Wood River Valley, was killed shortly after noon on Tuesday, June 28, when she was struck by a truck tractor driven by Byrus L. Gatewood, a 47-year-old West Valley, Utah, man.
In a news release, ISP reported on the evening of the accident that Fowler was struck while out of her vehicle waiting for a construction delay on U.S. Highway 93 north of its intersection with state Highway 25. According to ISP, the truck also crashed into Fowler's vehicle and two other cars waiting ahead of her.
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The news release listed ISP Cpl. Andrew Hitt as the investigating officer and media contact. Hitt did not return telephone calls to the Idaho Mountain Express on either Wednesday, June 30, or Tuesday, July 5.
The Express also contacted Hitt's supervisor, Lt. Kevin Haight, on Wednesday, June 30. Haight said he was aware of the accident but was attending a training session in Meridian and did not know details.
A search of Idaho court records showed that Gatewood, the truck driver, has recent convictions in Idaho for traffic safety violations. Gatewood was convicted twice recently for "following too closely." The first conviction was in 2009 in Ada County and the second was in 2010 in Minidoka County.
In 2003, Gatewood was convicted in Elmore County for failing to obey a traffic device and in Bannock County for "motor carrier safety violations." He has convictions in both 2001 and 2002 in Cassia County for exceeding allowable gross loads.
Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com
Celebration of life
A celebration of life for Dayle Evan Fowler is set for Thursday, July 7, at 5:30 p.m. The event will be held at Fowler's home at 218 Mariposa Road north of Hailey.
Dayle Evan Fowler
