Montana: Gravel truck clips fire truck at crash scene

A loaded gravel truck took out traffic cones and hit a fire truck near the intersection of U.S. 2 and Montana 35 in Evergreen on Wednesday morning. Evergreen Fire Chief Craig Williams said the truck and fire personnel were responding to another crash

between a Honda Element and Subaru in which no one was injured but there was substantial damage. “While we were setting up traffic control and protecting the scene, our engine was struck,” he said. Williams was glad the damage to the truck seemed to be contained to the back bumper. He said it was lucky that no fire personnel were working out of the back of the truck at the time of the crash. No one was hurt in the second crash. The fire truck is temporarily out of service.

Williams wanted to take the opportunity to remind people that while it is tempting to pay attention to the ruckus caused by accidents, it is more important to pay attention to cones, slow down and watch out for emergency personnel at the scene of a crash.

“It is pretty much a classic example of people not paying attention,” Williams said. “Be observant of accident scenes.”

According to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Thomas Manz, the driver of the Subaru was cited for running a red light while trying to make a left-hand turn. “Don’t run red lights and be aware when you come up on a crash scene of emergency lights,” Manz said.

Trooper James Schneider said the driver of the gravel truck was not cited. He noted that the load was very long. “He misjudged his turn and caught the fire truck,” Schneider said. “It was pretty minor. Another six inches and it wouldn’t have happened.”