Fatal Crash Near Yellowstone National Park Claims Seven Lives
BOISE, Idaho — A devastating crash occurred on U.S. Highway 20 near Henry’s Lake State Park in eastern Idaho, leaving seven people dead and eight others injured. The collision involved a pickup truck and a tour van carrying foreign travelers en route to Yellowstone National Park.
The incident happened just before 7:15 p.m. Thursday. The Dodge Ram pickup truck was traveling west, while the Mercedes van was heading east toward Yellowstone. Video footage from the scene showed clear weather conditions at the time of the crash.
Both vehicles caught fire following the collision. The driver of the pickup truck, identified as 25-year-old Isaih Moreno from Humble, Texas, and six passengers in the Mercedes van died in the crash. The victims in the van included citizens from outside the United States, with two confirmed to be from Italy and five from China, according to the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco.
The van was carrying a tour group of 14 people. Eight survivors were taken to hospitals with injuries; two were flown to an Idaho Falls hospital, and one was taken to a Bozeman, Montana, hospital. The conditions of the injured were not disclosed.
Fremont County Coroner Brenda Dye told The New York Times that she was awaiting DNA test results to identify the six victims in the van, as their bodies were unrecognizable due to the fire.
Witness Roger Merrill, who was driving home at the time, described seeing flames engulfing both vehicles and bystanders attempting to care for survivors. He noted that the highway is particularly dangerous due to its connection to Yellowstone’s main entrance.
Idaho Governor Brad Little expressed his commitment to investigating the cause of the tragedy. The Idaho Transportation Department had previously identified the highway for safety improvements, but the project remains in the planning phase.
The crash is under ongoing investigation by the Idaho State Police.
