A devastating collision between a pickup truck and a tour van occurred on US Highway 20 near Henrys Lake State Park in eastern Idaho on Thursday evening, leaving seven people dead and eight others injured. The crash happened just before 7:15 p.m. near a highway that leads to Yellowstone National Park, a popular tourist destination.
According to Idaho State Police, the Dodge Ram pickup truck was traveling west while the Mercedes van, carrying a tour group of 14 people, was heading east toward Yellowstone. Both vehicles caught fire upon impact. The driver of the pickup truck, identified as 25-year-old Isaih Moreno from Humble, Texas, and six occupants of the van died in the crash. The surviving occupants were rushed to nearby hospitals with injuries of varying severity.
Two of the injured were airlifted to a hospital in Idaho Falls, while another was flown to a hospital in Bozeman, Montana. The remaining injured were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. The identities of the deceased are yet to be released as authorities continue their investigation.
The crash remains under investigation, with police not disclosing the exact cause of the collision. However, video footage from the scene indicated clear weather conditions at the time of the accident. Witnesses described the highway as dangerous due to its popularity among tourists visiting Yellowstone National Park.
Roger Merrill, a witness who was driving home at the time, described seeing flames engulfing both vehicles as bystanders attempted to help survivors. He noted that the remote location of the crash delayed the arrival of first responders. However, a Fremont County sheriff’s deputy arrived shortly after the crash and, with the help of bystanders, assisted the injured van occupants as the vehicle caught fire.
The Idaho Transportation Department has previously identified the highway for safety improvements to reduce the severity of crashes. The section of highway where the crash occurred saw an average of about 10,500 vehicles daily in 2023.
