Accident near Troy claims life of woman

A 37-year-old Troy woman died and two others were injured Thursday evening in a Highway 2 accident one mile south of Troy.

Jennifer Smith died at St. John’s Lutheran Hospital in Libby from injuries related to the crash, according to a Montana Highway Patrol release. Scott Bushnell, 48, of Troy was transported to Kalispell Regional Medical Center to undergo treatment for a fractured hip, and Robert Gruber of Libby was treated at St. John’s for cuts and scrapes and a possible broken hand.

Smith and Bushnell, who were traveling north on Highway 56 in a 1987 Chevrolet S-10 pickup, ran a stop sign and hit Gruber’s 2006 Chevrolet pickup as he was driving west on Highway 2, according to MHP.

“The little S-10 pickup ran the stop sign going approximately 40 miles per hour, and they hit the other pickup nearly head on,” said Sgt. Duane Bowers of the Montana Highway Patrol. “We believe they were trying to take a left toward Troy.”

Smith and Bushnell were not wearing seatbelts and were ejected from the vehicle. Troy Volunteer Ambulance transported all three victims of the accident to St. John’s.

Alcohol was a factor in the crash, according to MHP dispatch. Who was driving the S-10 pickup is still under investigation.

Highway 2 has seen a rash of accidents this month. A minor reportedly rolled his vehicle off of Highway 2, nearly hitting a house, Friday evening about nine miles south of Libby. The driver suffered only minor injuries. Another rollover occurred Sunday morning at 11:50 about six miles south of Libby near Terrace View Road. One victim reportedly had minor visible injuries but complained of abdominal pain. The status of a second victim was unclear, although the person was reportedly walking around.

Two other accidents occurred south of Libby on Highway 2 this month – a one-vehicle rollover and a two-vehicle collision. No one was seriously hurt in either incident.