Head-on crash kills one driver, leaves Highway Patrol trooper in serious condition

UPDATE FROM FLATHEAD: Head-on crash kills one driver, leaves Highway Patrol trooper in serious condition
Posted on March 23
By ROB CHANEY Of the Missoulian



An early morning collision left one driver dead and a Montana Highway Patrol trooper in serious condition on Highway 93 south of Kalispell.

The incident occurred about 2:40 a.m. Monday. An unidentified man in a Volkswagen was driving north in the southbound lane when he ran head-on into a patrol car driven by MHP Trooper Mike Haynes. Highway 93 is a four-lane, physically divided highway at the collision site, according to MHP Col. Mike Tooley.

The 29-year-old driver of the Volkswagen was pronounced dead at the scene. Haynes was injured and taken to Kalispell Regional Hospital for treatment. He is 28, and has been with the patrol almost three years.


The collision is the third time in two years a wrong-way driving situation has resulted in the death or injury of MHP troopers.

Previously, an Aug. 26, 2008 head-on wreck killed MHP Trooper Evan Schneider and the two occupants of a pickup that collided with him as he was pursuing another vehicle on a two-lane stretch of Highway 2 between Columbia Falls and Hungry Horse. And on Oct. 9, 2007, Trooper David Graham was killed two miles north of Kalispell when an oncoming driver crossed into Graham’s lane.

Montana Department of Justice spokeswoman Judy Beck said Monday’s incident was still under investigation and no conclusions have been released. She did say Haynes was on routine patrol and was not responding to an incident when the crash occurred. Haynes was still in critical condition at the hospital Monday afternoon.