UPDATE – Eight Year-Old Crash Victim’s Name Released – Also Victim Of One Vehicle Rollover Near East Missoula
UPDATE- 3:00 p.m., Monday, July 17.
The Missoula County Coroner and Sheriff T.J. McDermott has released the names of two people who were killed in separate traffic accidents on Sunday. Eight year-old Carli Miller of Lolo was killed when the vehicle she was riding in was struck by a pickup truck and rolled on Highway 12 near Lolo on Sunday. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the Montana Highway Patrol.
The second individual was identified as 43 year-old Cicely Gabriel from Oregon, who was killed when the Mercedes-Benz SUV she was driving rolled just off Interstate 90 on Sunday. She was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.
The cause of death for both was blunt force trauma, while the manner of death was through a motor vehicle accident.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An eight year-old girl from Lolo was killed and five other people were injured in a two vehicle collision and rollover just before noon on Sunday on U.S. Highway 12 near Lolo.
Montana Highway Patrol trooper Tyler Swartz said it appeared that the 21 year-old male driver of a Toyota Tacoma pickup veered off the road going around a curve at about mile marker 27. An MHP dispatcher said the driver of the Tacoma apparently fell asleep at the wheel.
"The Toyota Tacoma was eastbound on U.S. Highway 12 when the driver fell asleep," the dispatcher said. "The vehicle drifted off the right side on the curve, over-corrected, crossed the center line and collided with a GMC Sierra. The Sierra then went off the road and rolled."
Trooper Swartz said an eight year-old girl in the GMC Sierra was killed.
"An eight year-old girl in the GMC Sierra was transported to Community Medical Center where she died from her injuries," the dispatcher said.
The dispatcher also said a 34 year-old man, a 39 year-old woman, a 16 year-old girl and a nine year-old boy were all injured and transported to the hospital. None were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident. The driver of the Toyota Tacoma was also injured in the accident.
The fatal accident remains under investigation.