Highway 2 accident claims life of woman

A freak accident involving a deer on Highway 2 claimed the life of a 50-year-old Marion woman on Friday morning east of Kootenai Falls between Libby and Troy.

Pamela Rae Angle died from fatal injuries she sustained in the accident when a deer went through the windshield of her pickup and out the back window after bouncing off a vehicle that was traveling in the opposite direction.

George Cowart, 54, of Troy was traveling east on Highway 2 in a 1991 Subaru Legacy passenger car when he struck a white-tailed deer that ran onto the road directly in front of him. At that moment, Angle was heading west in a 1997 Ford F-250 pickup.

According to Sgt. Duane Bowers of Montana Highway Patrol, the impact forced the deer into the path of Angle’s vehicle. The front portion of the deer went through the windshield and out the back window.

A respiratory therapist who was passing through stopped at the scene and took Angle’s vitals, according to sheriff reports. Shortly after the respiratory therapist reported that Angle stopped breathing and didn’t have a pulse, paramedics Shawn Thrasher arrived from Troy and Jay Moody from Libby.

Paramedics triaged the patients and focused efforts on Angle. Thrasher said her two passengers only suffered minor injuries. Two Troy ambulances arrived, followed by Dr. Jay Maloney in a Libby ambulance.

Troy ambulances transported the three to Libby. Angle died en route, and her two passengers were treated and released from St. John’s Lutheran Hospital, Thrasher said.

Cowart was not injured.

The accident occurred at 7:50 a.m. at milepost 21.3 just east of Kootenai Falls.

Bowers reported that all involved were wearing seatbelts.