Driver slams into light pole
Linda Sappington
A speeding driver lost control and slammed his car into a traffic signal in Pablo Wednesday, April 13, causing serious injury to himself and his female passenger.
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PABLO — Two people were seriously injured in a one-vehicle wreck Wednesday afternoon at the intersection of Highway 93 and Courville Trail in Pablo at about 3:45 p.m.
According to Lake County Sheriff Don Bell, witnesses said the tan 2004 Ford Taurus was traveling northbound at a high rate of speed on the frontage road east of the highway. The driver nearly hit a car head on and then could not negotiate the curve, and drove straight into the pole that supports the stoplight on the southeast corner.
Neither occupant was wearing a seatbelt, and both hit the windshield with their heads. Both were taken to St. Luke Community Hospital.
The driver, Waylon James DeRoche, 30, was then airlifted to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, where he is in serious condition as of Thursday morning, according to a hospital spokesperson.
The passenger, Miriah Rose DeRoche, 21, was flown to Providence St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, where as of Thursday morning was listed in fair condition.
“It is suspected that alcohol was involved,” Montana Highway Patrol trooper Jim Sanderson said. “We are very fortunate that other people and other vehicles were not involved. There’s a walking path on that frontage road that is often used.”
Sanderson said witnesses estimated the car was traveling 80 mph on the frontage road in a 25 mph zone.
