CASPER, Wyoming – A single-vehicle crash involving a truck and a tree resulted in one death and one other injury around 2 a.m. on August 2.
According to a preliminary report from the Wyoming Highway Patrol, a Ford F-250 was traveling east on US 26/US 287 near Dubois when it crossed onto the eastbound dirt shoulder. The driver overcorrected to the left and spun counterclockwise, causing the vehicle to spin out on the passenger side.
As the truck crossed the center line and entered the ditch, the driver was able to briefly gain control of the vehicle before steering right and yawing clockwise on a steep slope.
The Ford stumbled and struck a tree, hitting the trunk with its roof. The vehicle then fell to the ground and landed on its roof.
Elaine Whittenberger, 44, of Wyoming, died in the crash. According to WHP, the driver was not wearing a seatbelt, and speed and driver inattention are cited as contributing factors.
This story contains preliminary information provided by the Wyoming Highway Patrol via the Wyoming Department of Transportation’s Fatal Crash Summary map. Information is subject to change.
