Three students from Flandreau Public Schools were among four people killed in a devastating three-vehicle collision on Interstate 29 in Moody County, leaving families grieving and the local community struggling to come to terms with the loss.
The crash occurred on Monday evening, October 26, near mile marker 119, approximately 10 miles north of Colman. According to preliminary information released by authorities, an 88-year-old man driving a Ford Ranger was travelling north in the southbound lanes when his vehicle collided head-on with a southbound Dodge Grand Caravan.
The minivan was attempting to pass a semi-truck when the collision happened. After the initial impact, the Dodge was struck by the truck, causing the tractor-trailer to jackknife.
Four people died as a result of the crash: the driver of the minivan, a 15-year-old girl from Flandreau; two passengers, girls aged 12 and 16; and the 88-year-old driver of the Ford Ranger, who was from Hendricks, Minnesota.
A fourth girl, aged 12, who was also travelling in the minivan, survived the collision but sustained life-threatening injuries. She was transported to a hospital in Sioux Falls for treatment.
The semi-truck driver, a 59-year-old man from Arlington, South Dakota, was not injured.
Wrong-way driving under investigation
The South Dakota Highway Patrol said preliminary findings indicated that the Ford Ranger was travelling in the wrong direction on Interstate 29 before the head-on collision.
Authorities reported that the occupants of the Dodge Grand Caravan and the driver of the Ford Ranger were ejected from their vehicles. Investigators also said none of those involved in the fatal crash was wearing a seat belt.
The circumstances that led the Ford Ranger to enter the southbound lanes remain under investigation. Officials have not announced a final determination of the cause of the collision.
The names of the victims had not been publicly released in the initial reports while authorities worked to notify family members.
Emergency response and highway closure
The Moody County Sheriff’s Office, Colman Fire Department, Flandreau Ambulance and South Dakota Highway Patrol responded to the crash.
The collision prompted the closure of southbound Interstate 29 for approximately six hours as emergency personnel worked at the scene and investigators documented the wreckage. The closure caused disruption for motorists travelling through the area.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the three-vehicle crash.
Flandreau community mourns its students
The deaths of three Flandreau students have brought profound grief to the school community. Families, classmates, teachers and staff are facing the loss of three young lives in a single incident.
Flandreau Public Schools adjusted its schedule on Tuesday, October 27, delaying the start of the school day until 10 a.m. to give parents time to speak with their children about the tragedy.
Counselling staff, members of the Ministerial Association and other support resources were made available to students, teachers and school employees.
The Moody County Sheriff’s Office also expressed sympathy for the families and others affected by the crash, acknowledging the difficult circumstances facing the community.
For those who knew the students, the loss extends beyond the immediate families to classmates, friends and the wider Flandreau community. School-based support services were arranged to help those affected process the tragedy and seek assistance.
Investigation continues
The South Dakota Highway Patrol continues to investigate the fatal collision. Officials will work to establish the events leading up to the wrong-way movement, the sequence of impacts and any additional factors that contributed to the crash.
As the investigation proceeds, the community is left mourning three students whose deaths have deeply affected Flandreau, alongside the family of the older driver who also lost his life.
Authorities have urged the public to rely on confirmed information as investigators work to establish the full circumstances of the accident.
