Bismarck, ND — A North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDHP) vehicle was damaged after a collision on Interstate 94 in Cass County on the evening of Saturday, December 14.
At approximately 7:07 p.m., an NDHP Ford Explorer was parked on the shoulder of the highway, with its emergency lights activated, as a trooper was responding to a crash scene. During this time, a 49-year-old woman from Ontario, Canada, was driving a Toyota Sienna eastbound on the icy roadway when she reportedly lost control of her vehicle. The Sienna then struck the NDHP vehicle on the driver’s side rear.
Fortunately, the state trooper who was operating the Ford Explorer was outside of the vehicle at the time of the collision and was not injured. The driver of the Toyota Sienna was also unharmed in the incident.
The crash remains under investigation by the Cass County Sheriff’s Department. While the cause of the loss of control has not yet been determined, authorities are attributing the slippery road conditions to a likely factor in the crash.
The North Dakota Highway Patrol is reminding drivers to exercise caution, especially in winter conditions, and to always slow down when approaching emergency vehicles with their lights flashing.
The incident highlights the risks faced by law enforcement officers and emergency responders, who are frequently working on or near busy highways in hazardous weather.
More details will be provided as the investigation continues.
