KINDRED, ND — Three people were injured, including one seriously, in a head-on crash near Kindred on Sunday afternoon, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol. The collision happened just before 3:30 p.m. on Highway 46 and involved a Subaru Outback and a Dodge Ram.
Investigators say the vehicles were traveling in opposite directions when the Dodge Ram tried to pass another vehicle in a no passing zone. The two vehicles then collided head-on. The North Dakota Highway Patrol says the crash is still under investigation.
How the collision unfolded on Highway 46
According to the Highway Patrol, the Subaru was traveling west on Highway 46 while the Dodge Ram was heading east. The pickup was attempting to pass another vehicle in a section marked no passing when the crash occurred.
That maneuver put the two vehicles on a direct collision course. The Highway Patrol has not released additional details about weather, road conditions, or whether other vehicles were affected by the crash. The investigation is continuing as troopers work to determine the full sequence of events.
Serious injuries reported for the Subaru driver
The driver of the Subaru suffered serious injuries in the crash and was flown by air ambulance to Sanford, officials said. No other information about that driver’s condition was released.
Authorities said the driver of the Dodge Ram and the passenger in that vehicle were also hurt. Both were taken by ambulance to Sanford Health-Fargo for treatment. The Highway Patrol has not said which of the injured is believed to have been the more seriously hurt among the occupants of the pickup.
Medical response centered on Sanford facilities
The crash triggered a response that sent the most seriously injured victim by air medical transport and the other two injured people by ground ambulance. The destinations were Sanford in one case and Sanford Health-Fargo in the others.
Those transports suggest responders moved quickly to get all three injured people to care after the wreck near Kindred. The Highway Patrol did not identify the medical crews involved or say how long it took for emergency responders to reach the scene. No information was released about the extent of the vehicles’ damage.
A no passing zone remained central to the investigation
Officials say the key factor in the crash was the Dodge Ram passing another vehicle where passing was not allowed. That detail is likely to remain a central part of the North Dakota Highway Patrol’s review of what happened on Highway 46.
Crashes involving passing maneuvers in restricted zones can leave drivers with little room to react when another vehicle appears in the opposite lane. In this case, troopers have not said whether charges or citations are expected. The investigation remains open, and no further findings have been announced.
What is known so far about the crash near Kindred
So far, the Highway Patrol has confirmed the date, time, location and vehicles involved in the wreck. It happened Sunday, Oct. 18, shortly before 3:30 p.m. near Kindred on Highway 46.
Officials also confirmed that three people were injured and that one of them suffered serious injuries. Beyond that, troopers have not released names, ages or hometowns of those involved. The agency says it is continuing to investigate the cause and circumstances of the collision.