UPDATE 3:15 P.M. August 20———————————————————————-
Idaho State Police have confirmed that a man lost his life as a result of injuries sustained when a trailer detached from a semi truck and hit his car head-on.
Troopers say that 25 year old Nicholas S. Spooner passed away in the hospital on August 15, one day after he was involved in a head-on crash with a detached trailer on U.S. 95 near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
The passenger in Spooner’s car, 59 year old Timothy P. Spooner, remains in critical condition.
The truck driver, 56 year old Wilbert K. Kahoonei, and his passenger Darnelle I. Kahoonei, 51, were not hurt in the crash.
No charges have been filed.
ORIGINAL REPORT———————————————————————————
Idaho State Police are investigating a serious injury crash involving a semi truck and a passenger vehicle.
The crash occurred on the morning of Wednesday, August 14, on U.S. 95 at mile marker 426, about three miles south of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
A semi-truck trailer came unhitched and crashed head-on into a car on highway 95, SW of Coeur d’Alene. Two male occupants were taken to the hospital in critical condition, says an ISP spokesman. pic.twitter.com/HYBYBzOn7b
— Will Campbell (@wtcampbell) August 14, 2019
According to local news station KHQ, the semi truck was southbound on U.S. 95 when its trailer detached and travelled into the northbound lanes, striking a northbound car head-on.
The trailer drifted into the northbound lane after it came unhitched and crashed into the car. You can see the semi-truck cab in the background. pic.twitter.com/eubgm83lpS
— Will Campbell (@wtcampbell) August 14, 2019
Two males inside the car had to be extracted from the wrecked vehicle by firefighters. They were both taken to the hospital with critical injuries.
No other vehicles were involved and no other injuries have been reported.
Idaho State Police said in a tweet, “This is a serious injury crash. The circumstances are still under investigation but it appears to have been caused by a major equipment failure on the part of the semi truck. Emergency crews are still on scene.”
An Idaho State Police spokesperson said that in 29 years he could not recall another incident of a trailer detaching from a truck while it was in motion.
All lanes of U.S. 95 reopened by 12:30 p.m.
This is a developing story.