Two Lincoln Co. men die in traffic crashes

Two Lincoln County men have died in separate traffic crashes since last Saturday.

According to a report by Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Bryce Ford, a 34-year-old Libby man died in a crash on U.S. 2 near Happy's Inn Tuesday evening.

Ford's report indicated the man was driving a GMC Envoy west on the highway at 5:12 p.m. when the vehicle drifted off the left side of the shoulder for unknown reasons. The driver overcorrected returning to the highway, rolled across the road and off the north side.

The man, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.

Road conditions were dry and alcohol, drugs or speed were not suspected factors in the crash.

In the other accident, a Eureka man riding a motorcycle died Saturday evening after striking a deer on U.S. 93.

According to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Virgil Sadewasser, the 64-year-old man was driving a Harley-Davidson motorcycle north on the highway at a high rate of speed at milemarker 177.4 at about 8:39 p.m.

The motorcycle went in a sideways slide and struck the deer. The man, who was not wearing a helmet, was thrown from the cycle and died at the scene.

According to Montana Department of Transportation figures, the deaths were the 111th and 112th fatalities in 2023. That's down from 122 fatalities at the same time a year ago.

According to preliminary data from the department, 59 crashes were the result of impaired driving while 50 involved improper restraint.

Of the 112 deaths, 84 were motorists and 14 were motorcyclists. Twelve were pedestrians, two involved ATV riders and one involved a bicyclist.