Single-vehicle accident kills 19-year-old

A 19-year-old Eureka woman was killed and a second woman critically injured in a single-vehicle accident Friday evening on Highway 93 near Stryker.

A southbound 2001 Mazda 626 driven by Morgan Jackson drifted off the right edge of the highway as the vehicle was halfway into the corner at Stryker, Montana Highway Patrol officer Neil Duram reported. Jackson swerved back onto the roadway but over-corrected to send the vehicle off the right side of the highway. The vehicle ended up colliding head-on with a large tree.

Montana Highway Patrol’s investigation showed that speed and alcohol were factors in the accident, which occurred at approximately 6:50 p.m.

Jackson died in the collision. A passenger, 22-year-old English Paden of Eureka, suffered critical injuries. Paden was able to escape from the vehicle before it was engulfed in flames. She was transported to Kalispell Regional Medical Center by an Alert helicopter. At last word, she was in the intensive care unit.

In addition to MHP, the TFS (Trego-Fortine-Stryker), Eureka and Olney fire departments responded to extinguish the burning vehicle.

Both occupants were wearing seatbelts.