ALERT sent to two serious wrecks in the Canyon

A rollover on Spotted Bear Road in Martin City soon followed by a horrific head-on crash on the U.S. 2 bridge over the South Fork of the Flathead River overwhelmed first responders in the Canyon on Saturday, Jan. 25.

Martin City fire chief Tom Torpen said four of his personnel got to the bridge accident and were soon joined by responders from the Columbia Falls Volunteer Fire Department.

“Thank God they were there,” Torpen said.

A male passenger was ejected when a vehicle rolled over on Spotted Bear Road on Saturday afternoon. The man was reportedly conscious and breathing, but he sustained a head wound and possible back injury.

Neither occupant of the vehicle was wearing a seat belt, and alcohol may be a factor in that crash.

The ALERT helicopter was on its way to the Spotted Bear Road crash when it was diverted about 2 p.m. to the head-on crash on the bridge. The helicopter landed right on the bridge, where a Ford F-150 had collided with a larger Ford pickup truck.

The driver of the F-150 was trapped inside and unresponsive. Emergency crews used the Jaws Of Life to extricate the man, who suffered broken legs and was transported to the hospital by ALERT.

Torpen said the head-on was so severe, two tow trucks were needed to pull the vehicles apart. The bridge wasn’t fully open to traffic until 8:30 p.m.