Five die in Libby crash

LIBBY, Mont. - A Highway 2 crash west of Libby resulted in the death of five people on Monday morning.

Jack R. Flasche, 68, his wife Lois L. Flasche, 66, and their backseat passenger, 55-year-old Theresa C. Merritt - all of Troy - died in the accident. Sherry Lynn Thompson, 41, and her 10-year-old daughter, Kendra - both of Eureka - also died.

Thompson's 16-year-old son, Braden, was transported to St. John's Lutheran Hospital in Libby and then airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The teen was a front-seat passenger. As of press time on Monday evening, his condition was unknown.

Rain poured on Troy and Libby emergency responders as they worked on scene. The accident forced officials to close both lanes of traffic for an extended period of time.

Bryce Ford of the Montana Highway Patrol said Thompson's 2004 GMC Yukon sport-utility vehicle was traveling west on Highway 2 when the driver for an unknown reason lost control of her vehicle and slid sideways into the eastbound lane, directly into the path of a 2004 Dodge Stratus driven by Jack Flasche.

Both vehicles collided at highway speed, Ford said. It was raining and the road was wet at the time of the accident, which occurred around 10 a.m., at mile marker 25.1 approximately six miles west of Libby.

Monday's tragedy is the second on Highway 2 this month. On March 6, four people were killed in an accident near Happy's Inn.

The cause was still under investigation. Ford said excessive speed, alcohol or drugs do not appear to be factors in the accident, pending toxicology results from the State Crime Lab in Missoula.

All three occupants in the Flasche vehicle were wearing seat belts and the front airbags deployed. Two of the three occupants of the Thompson vehicle were wearing seat belts.