Noxon man killed in US 2 crash

A 54-year-old Noxon man was killed in a two-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 2 at Cedar Creek on Sunday.

According to information released by the Montana Highway Patrol, Lester Booth died after the 1995 Dodge Intrepid he was driving collided head-on with a 1993 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Dejay Hanson, 24, of Spokane.

Booth was eastbound and Hanson was westbound around 12:30 p.m. when the accident occurred. According to the Highway Patrol investigation, Hanson swerved off the right side of the road and lost control of his truck, which was pulling a homemade 19-foot trailer, to avoid hitting another vehicle that had come to a stop waiting to make a left turn into a pullout along the highway.

Hanson's truck crossed the center line and collided with Booth's car. Hanson and his passenger, Jalie Hanson, 24, suffered minor injuries and were treated and released at St. John's Lutheran Hospital. Booth's passenger, Rosalie Booth, 49, also suffered minor injuries and was treated and released at St. John's.

According to the Highway Patrol report, no one in either vehicle was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. Speed and inattentive driving are being credited as factors in the crash.

Thus far this year, 73 people have been killed in motor vehicle accidents in Montana. In 2004, there were 229 deaths on the state's highways.