Second person dies as result of multi-vehicle crash; victims identified

A second person has died as a result of a seven-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 2 in Coram near the intersection of Old Highway 2 Monday, Montana Highway Patrol confirmed Wednesday.

According to a Highway Patrol report, it was a chain reaction crash, as an eastbound semi tractor trailer truck carrying lumber rear-ended a Honda Odyssey from Kingman, Arizona just before 4 p.m.

The Odyssey then rear-ended a Ford Edge from Coram, causing it to cross the center line into the westbound lane.

The Ford Edge then was struck by a westbound motorhome from Great Falls and then was hit again by GMC Sierra pickup truck from Great Falls.

The 77-year-old driver of the Odyssey, Delbert “Allen” Egbert,  died at the scene, while the 72-year-old driver of the Ford Edge, Lee Schrader, later died at the Logan Health in Kalispell.

A seventh vehicle — a Jeep Grand Cherokee from Great Falls, went into the ditch to avoid being hit, but it did sustain damage.

Meanwhile, a Ford SUV from Columbia, Missouri, which was behind the Jeep, crossed the centerline to avoid a collision and went into a clockwise spin. It swerved hard to the right and then accelerated to avoid being hit head-on by the semi.

The semi clipped the back of the Ford SUV, continued into the ditch on the westbound side of the road and rolled onto its passenger side.

All told, four people were injured, including the driver of the semi, two in the GMC pickup and and the driver of the motorhome. The injured were taken to Logan Health in Kalispell for treatment.

Roads were bare and dry at the time of the accident.

Coram-West Glacier, Hungry Horse, Martin City fire departments, Three Rivers Ambulance, Flathead County Sheriffs Deputies and Montana Highway Patrol all responded to the scene.