Investigation Into Fatal Crash Continues
by Laura Monteverdi, Reporter
February 15, 2013 5:41 PM
Police said the 7-vehicle accident that occurred on 41st Street and Minnesota Avenue in Sioux Falls on Thursday was one of the worst accidents they've seen in a long while.
According to police, 32-year-old Troy Hohn was driving his 1998 Chevy Blazer at a high rate of speed on Minnesota Avenue, when he suddenly swerved into the right hand lane, causing what Lieutenant Jerome Miller of the Sioux Falls Police Department describes as a domino effect.
“That's when it struck the Dodge Durango which pushed it into the Chevy pickup, which pushed it into the Buick Century which pushed it out into the intersection of 41st street,” said Lt. Miller.
Police said the Buick then collided with two vehicles traveling east on 41st Street.
Hohn's Chevy Blazer ended up smashing through the Taylor's Pantry gas station sign and striking a parked vehicle, before coming to rest upside down near the gas pumps.
Hohn was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Anybody can look at the damage on these vehicles and how many vehicles were involved and how far they went and it's pretty safe to say that it was an extremely high rate of speed,” said Lt. Miller.
Police said the 2001 Dodge Durango which was hit by Hohn's vehicle was carrying 5 passengers, 3 of whom were children.
“Two of them were in child safety seats. They were transported to the hospital in those seats and they were treated and released,” said Lt. Miller.
While the investigation is ongoing, police said they received reports just moments before the accident that a vehicle matching the description of Hohn's Chevy Blazer was seen driving erratically.
“This vehicle had been driving at an extremely high rate of speed for a distance weaving in and out of traffic so we did get a couple reports on that," said Lt. Miller.
Due to the number of vehicles involved and the extent of the damage, Lt. Miller said it could take some time to piece together what happened.
“That's why these things take days, sometimes weeks, for us to gather all the information, sit down and put it all together and paint the best picture that we can,” said Lt. Miller.
Police said it is too early to determine whether a medical issue or drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash.
