3 deaths and multiple injuries, wrecks launch ‘100 Deadliest Days’
By Eric Valentine
It didn’t take long for Valley motorists to be reminded that from Memorial Day through Labor Day, the stretch of time has been dubbed by traffic and safety officials the “100 Deadliest Days.” By last week’s end, a total of three people have now died while driving on Highway 75 in a recent 10-day stretch. If this were a novel virus, there’d be talk of a lockdown by now.
In between the bookends of picnics, barbecues and other festivities that mark the 100-day period, fatal crashes nearly double compared to the rest of the year in most years. The cause? A perfect storm of factors all on steroids as simply more people are on the road then. Data shows that the three most common factors in Idaho motor vehicle crashes are aggressive, distracted, and impaired driving.
So we can offer the obvious advice: Chill out. Stay focused. Don’t drink and drive or drive high. But, in addition to that, please read what’s below. What follows is information taken directly from successive press releases by the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office. And before the folks mentioned here became names on a police press release, they were just like all of us—just trying to get to a picnic, a barbecue, or some other festivity in June.
On Saturday, June 26, at approximately 2:33 p.m., Blaine County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a two-vehicle head-on collision with injuries on State Hwy. 75 at mile post 110, just south of Bellevue.
Crash scene investigation determined that Dalmiro R. Alvarez, age 74, of Hansen, Idaho, was driving a 2015 Volkswagen Passat traveling southbound on Hwy. 75 with passenger Ann G. Alvarez, age 78, also of Hansen. For unknown reasons the Passat crossed into the northbound lane, striking a northbound 2020 Toyota 4Runner driven by Mark W. Mathys, age 52, of Wheaton, Illinois. Passengers in the vehicle were Dennis Dombrowski, age 78, of New Lenox, Illinois, and Danielle P. Mathys, age 50, of Wheaton.
Ann Alvarez died as a result of her injuries at the crash scene and Dalmiro Alvarez was transported by ambulance to St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center, where he later died.
The occupants of the Toyota 4Runner were all transported by ambulance to St. Luke’s Wood River. Dombrowski and Danielle Mathys were later flown by air ambulance to a Boise hospital and Mark Mathys was treated and released from St. Luke’s Wood River.
All involved in the crash were wearing seatbelts. The crash remains under investigation.
On Tuesday, June 22, at approximately 7:30 a.m., Blaine County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a single-vehicle injury crash on Hwy. 75 and milepost 94 near the Richfield canal in southern Blaine County.
Crash scene investigation determined that Carmen Rojas, age 55, of Shoshone, was traveling northbound on Hwy. 75 in a gold 2006 Volvo XC90. Rojas attempted to pass several cars but failed to see an oncoming truck in the southbound lane. When she swerved back into her lane, Rojas lost control of the vehicle, fishtailed, and then crossed back, traveling off the southbound side of the roadway into the sagebrush.
Rojas was transported to St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. The Volvo sustained significant damage and was towed from the scene. Rojas, who was wearing a seatbelt, was cited for unsafe passing.
On Tuesday, June 22, at approximately 1:03 p.m., Blaine County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a vehicle-vs.-motorcycle injury accident on Main Street and 5th Avenue in Ketchum.
Crash scene investigation determined that the driver of a 2009 red Harley-Davidson motorcycle, Ronald L. Jenkins, age 67, and his passenger, Debi Sue Brown, age 39, both of Buhl, were stopped southbound on Main Street at the 5th Avenue stoplight behind two vehicles waiting to make a left-hand turn. Jenkins proceeded to pass the two vehicles by pulling into the right lane. The motorcycle collided with a 2016 silver GMC Yukon driven by Lynn K. Van Dokkum with five passengers who were already traveling in the right lane. The collision caused the motorcycle to lose balance and fall over on its right side.
Jenkins was transported to St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center by ground ambulance for medical evaluation of his injuries. Neither Jenkins nor Brown was wearing a motorcycle helmet. No one else was injured in the collision. Both the motorcycle and the GMC Yukon received minor damages and were driven from the scene.
On Tuesday, June 22, at approximately 12:03 p.m., Blaine County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a single-vehicle injury crash with multiple injuries on Hwy. 75 at milepost 102 south of the U.S. Highway 20 Timmerman Junction.
Crash scene investigation determined that Samson O. Akwenuke, age 18, of Twin Falls, was driving a 2004 gold Honda Pilot traveling northbound on Hwy. 75 with Andrew J. Shaw, also of Twin Falls, and a male juvenile backseat passenger.
As the vehicle descended Timmerman Hill, it went off the side of the roadway for an unknown reason. The driver overcorrected, causing the car to cross both lanes of travel and roll multiple times off the side of the roadway. The backseat juvenile passenger was ejected from the vehicle during the rollover.
The driver, Samson O. Akwenuke, was transported by ground ambulance to St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center and later released with non-life-threatening injuries. The front-seat passenger, Andrew J. Shaw, age 18, was transported by air ambulance to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, with serious injuries. The juvenile male backseat passenger was transported by air ambulance to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls in critical condition.
The vehicle sustained substantial damage and was towed from the scene. Akwenuke and Shaw were both wearing seatbelts. Deputies were unable to determine if the juvenile backseat passenger was wearing a seatbelt due to his ejection. The crash remains under investigation.
On Saturday, June 19, at approximately 8:36 a.m., Blaine County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a three-vehicle fatality crash on State Hwy. 75 near mile marker 103, approximately one mile north of the U.S. Highway 20 junction.
Upon crash scene investigation, it was determined that Jeffrey Grondin, age 61, of Isleton, Calif., was the sole occupant of a 2012 Ford E-250 van-front U-Haul truck traveling northbound on Hwy. 75. Jazmin G. Gutierrez, age 30, of Shoshone, with three passengers, was also driving northbound in a white 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee behind the U-Haul truck. David Marquez, age 27, of Orem, Utah, was the sole occupant and driver of a 2015 Toyota Highlander traveling southbound on Hwy. 75.
For unknown reasons, the Toyota crossed the centerline and entered into the northbound lane of travel. The driver of the U-Haul truck attempted to avoid a head-on collision by moving to the northbound shoulder; however, the Toyota sideswiped the driver’s side of the U-Haul truck. The impact broke the truck’s dual rear axle and sheared off a section of siding. Despite attempting to avoid the collision, the Jeep then sideswiped the U-Haul truck’s driver side with the Jeep’s driver’s side. The Jeep continued through the barrow pit and crashed into a barbed-wire fence on the east side of the highway.
The occupants of the Jeep reported only minor injuries. Grondin was transported by ground ambulance to St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries. Marquez was pronounced dead at the scene. All three vehicles were towed from the scene with substantial damage. The crash remains under investigation.