Crash blocks Hwy 53 for 3 hours

HAUSER - A head-on collision that sent one of the drivers to the hospital this morning blocked Highway 53 for more than three hours.

Gerald R. Cooper Jr., 54, Hayden, was treated and released from Kootenai Medical Center.

According to Idaho State Police, Nathan A. Littlejohn, 28, Spokane Valley, was eastbound at 6:32 a.m. in a 1989 Mazda MX6 near milepost 1 attempting to make a left-hand turn when he failed to yield to Cooper, who was westbound in a 1990 Jeep Wrangler.

The Mazda struck the Jeep head on, causing the Jeep to overturn.

Cooper was wearing his seatbelt.

Littlejohn, who was not wearing his seatbelt, was not injured.