Man killed when truck crashes into apartment

HAYDEN — An elderly man was killed when a truck crashed into an apartment in Hayden about 4:30 today.

According to the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, the full-size truck went through a wall and into the living space of the ground-level unit in the 8700 block of North Avalanche Road.

"Deputies found two elderly residents trapped beneath the vehicle," a press release said. "An elderly female was transported to Kootenai Health with life-threatening injuries. An elderly male was pronounced deceased at the scene."

The adult male driver of the truck was extricated by Northern Lakes Fire District personnel and was interviewed by KCSO deputies.

KCSO did not say whether the man was arrested.

"I heard a crash and I thought it was a TV but then I turned around and the nurses started running outside," said Christa Noonan, a medical technician at Honeysuckle Assisted Living near the crash site.

The removal of the vehicle from the building is not expected to be a special challenge, according to a representative of Schaffer's Towing, a KCSO contracted towing company. 

Honeysuckle Avenue near Walmart was closed between North Davis Street and North Reed Road while investigators processed the scene.

    Crews inspect the damage to the interior of the damaged building after the crash.