A deadly Memorial Day weekend in eastern Idaho
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IDAHO FALLS — Five people were killed in eastern Idaho over Memorial Day weekend, making it one of the deadliest holiday weekends in recent memory.
On Sunday night, a 22-year-old Idaho Falls man was killed in a motorcycle crash at the intersection of West Broadway Street and Skyline Drive. Witnesses told police the motorcyclist was going an estimated 60-70 mph when he crashed into a black pickup truck, according to police spokeswoman Holly Cook.
Idaho Falls Police and EMS tried to revive the man, but he was unresponsive and pronounced dead on the scene.
Cook said she was not authorized by the Idaho Falls City Attorney’s Office to release the motorcyclist’s name. EastIdahoNews.com has submitted a public information request to the city of Idaho Falls in an attempt to obtain the information.
On Friday, 72-year-old Dennis Clark of Preston was pulling a horse trailer when he died after hitting a tractor in Terreton. Clark’s passenger, 26-year-old Bracken Atkinson of Preston, was flown to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center where he has since been released.
In Lemhi County, two children were killed in a UTV crash Saturday morning. Seven occupants were on the UTV, according to Lemhi County Sheriff Steve Penner, when the vehicle crashed on Lick Creek Road near Gibbonsville.
A 9-year-old and 10-year-old died after the UTV went off the road and down a ledge, according to officials. Other occupants were taken to the hospital but their conditions have not been released.
On Sunday afternoon, an Eagle man was killed in a crash on I-15 near Pocatello. Idaho State Police say 72-year-old Andrew Potter was driving southbound when he left the right shoulder and drove over an embankment. He died at the scene.
Law enforcement refers to the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day as the 100 deadliest days of driving. In 2017, 90 people died on Idaho roads and police urge drivers to use extra caution and wear seat belts during the summer months.
East Idaho has the lowest rate of seat belt usage in the entire state, according to ISP spokesman Lt. Chris Weadick. He says people living in an agriculture-based economy are not used to wearing seat belts.
“We are really hitting our driver’s education classes hard in promoting seat belt usage,” Weadick says. “Sometimes we’ll make a traffic stop with a van full of people and everyone inside has their seat belt on. They’ll have child seats in use. It is really rewarding to see our efforts making a difference.”