Two local men died, six other people injured in three wrecks on same day

Two local men are dead and six others were injured in three East Idaho wrecks on Friday.

Paul R. Dreher, 24, of Blackfoot, died after he was struck by a vehicle while crossing Weeding Lane in the area of 62 East, which is located about a half-mile east of Highway 91 in Bingham County, authorities said.

The Bingham County Sheriff’s Office around 11 a.m. Friday received the report of a pedestrian versus vehicle accident.

Upon arrival at the scene, deputies learned that Dreher was struck by a white 1997 Jeep Wrangler that was being driven by Julie Marlow, 50, of Blackfoot.

“Initial information received was the Jeep was traveling westbound and encountered visibility issues caused by grain harvest occurring in the adjacent fields,” the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office said in a recent news release. “It was also learned that Dreher was assisting in those operations when he crossed the road.”

Dreher was transported via an Air Idaho emergency helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center with severe, life threatening injuries and Marlow was transported by ground ambulance to Bingham Memorial Hospital with possible minor injuries, authorities said.

Dreher succumbed to his injuries a few hours later, the sheriff’s office said.

“We as a sheriff’s office want the community to know that our hearts go out to all affected by this tragedy,” the news release said. “We asked the Idaho State Police to perform a crash reconstruction of the incident. We are investigating the overall crash, with some investigative measures still ongoing. However, our preliminary findings are not conclusive of any negligence involved.”

Another local man died and four others were injured in a crash just north of 17th South on 45th West in Bonneville County around 11:30 p.m. Friday.

Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies and Idaho Falls Fire Department personnel were dispatched to the scene of the crash and upon arrival located multiple victims from two vehicles, one of which had overturned, authorities said.

A driver and two passengers from a 2016 GMC Sierra, all adult males, were transported to the hospital with severe but non-life threatening injuries.

The second vehicle involved, a 2003 Nissan car, was found to be driven by a 17-year-old male driver who was also transported to the hospital with severe but non-life threatening injuries. A male passenger in the Nissan car, identified as 18-year-old Joshua Lindula, of Idaho Falls, was found to be deceased at the scene.

Deputies determined the GMC pickup had been traveling northbound on 45th West and was attempting to turn left into a driveway just north of 17th South and failed to yield to the Nissan car, which was traveling southbound, authorities said. The Nissan car was struck by the GMC pickup truck on the passenger side.

The collision caused the GMC to overturn and come to rest in an adjacent field, while the Nissan came to rest in the road just past the driveway, authorities said.

Deputies believe alcohol may have been a factor in the cause of the crash and are continuing to investigate.

Earlier on Friday two individuals were injured when two semi-trucks collided on Interstate 84 in Jerome County.

Around 2:15 p.m. Friday a 26-year-old Wendell man and a juvenile passenger were traveling eastbound on Interstate 84 near milepost 180 in a 1998 Freightliner semi-truck loaded with manure, according to Idaho State Police.

A 49-year-old man from Clovis, California, was traveling in a 2013 Freightliner semi-truck and struck the rear of the 1998 Freightliner, police said.

The 2013 Freightliner was loaded with 48,000 pounds of cane molasses and lost about 1,000 pounds due to the collision and the 1998 Freightliner came to rest in the center median and caught on fire, according to state police.

The driver of the 2013 Freightliner was wearing a seat belt. The driver of the 1998 Freightliner and the juvenile passenger were not wearing their seat belts and were transported to a local hospital via ground ambulance, police said.

The left lane eastbound of I-84 was blocked for approximately four and a half hours.

Idaho State Police were assisted by the Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, Magic Valley Paramedics, First Segregation Fire, Rock Creek QRU and Idaho Transportation Department

This incident is under investigation by Idaho State Police.