On Wednesday, February 15th, at approximately 12:50 pm, a ND Highway Patrol patrol vehicle was struck southbound on I-29 Exit 85 at Gardner. Both north and southbound I-29 was closed at the time of the crash and had been closed since approximately 8:00 pm on February 14th.
The NDHP and ND Department of Transportation were conducting clearing operations along southbound I-29, with the NDDOT utilizing larger blowers to blow back the large drifting that had occurred during the blizzard that occurred February 14th-15th and the NDHP working with private towing companies to remove stranded vehicles.
The NDHP Trooper was providing traffic control for NDDOT southbound on I-29 at Exit 85, forcing traffic to exit I-29. The patrol vehicle was parked in the apex of the roadway and exit ramp, at the bottom of the exit ramp. While the patrol car was parked on the closed road with the emergency lights flashing, two vehicles approached the trooper at approximately 75 mph. The first vehicle braked to slow prior to reaching the location of the trooper. The second vehicle veered around the first vehicle and into the path of the patrol vehicle. This vehicle, a 2003 Honda Odyssey van, rear ended the patrol vehicle. After the collision, both vehicles rotated on the roadway. The Honda came to rest facing north across lane one of southbound I-29. The patrol vehicle, a 2022 Ford Explorer, came to rest facing south in lane one of southbound I-29.
The Cass County Sheriffs’ Office is investigating the crash involving the NDHP patrol vehicle and the Honda van. No one was injured in the crash. The NDHP trooper was seat belted in the vehicle at the time of the crash, as was the other driver inside the Honda. Air bags deployed in the Honda only.
Traffic was diverted off I-29 at Exit 85 for approximately 45 minutes during the crash investigation. The NDHP was assisted by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and NDDOT at the crash scene.
