Loose rock from dump trailer strikes, kills Valley City man in crash

VERONA, N.D. — A 58-year-old Valley City man is dead after a rock passed through the windshield of the vehicle he was driving and struck him on Thursday morning, May 25, about 8 miles north of here, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol.

The Valley City man was driving a 2019 Dodge Ram southbound on N.D. Highway 1 at about 8:10 a.m. and was approaching a northbound 1999 Kenworth semitrailer with a belly-dump trailer driven by Lyle Hanson, Valley City, at mile marker 41. As the two vehicles got closer to each other, the belly-dump trailer released its load of rock onto the highway, the patrol said. The patrol said a loose rock from the load struck and passed through the windshield of the Dodge and hit the driver.

The patrol said the load of rock was not intended to be dumped onto Highway 1. Charges against Hanson are pending an investigation, the patrol said.

The Valley City man was treated for his injuries by Oakes and LaMoure Ambulance services before he was transported to Oakes Community Hospital where he later died from injuries sustained in the crash, the patrol said.

Gary Engstrom, Leeds, North Dakota, a passenger in the Dodge Ram, and Hanson were not injured.

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The Valley City man, Engstrom and Hanson were wearing seat belts.

The patrol is investigating the crash.

Verona Fire Department, LaMoure County Sheriff's Office and the North Dakota Department of Transportation also responded to the scene.

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