Accidents result in 3 fatalities, 5 injuries

SANDPOINT ­ — Four separate accidents in the area resulted in three fatalities and five others in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

On Saturday, Idaho State Police responded to a fatal motorcycle crash on the Middle Fork of East River Road east of East Side Road, north of Priest River. Reported about 7:43 p.m., ISP said a 2016 KTM motorcyle driven by Spencer L. Smith, 37, of Priest River, was westbound on the Middle Fork of East River Road when he ran off the roadway, down a bank, and into a creek. Smith was pronounced deceased at the scene.

An investigation is continuing.

On Sunday, officials said a fatal crash occurred at 6076 Lakeshore Road at about 4:12 p.m. near Priest Lake.

A gray 2015 Can-Am UTV driven by Jessica S. Stovall, 36, of Spokane, Wash., was traveling southbound on Lakeshore Drive at a high rate of speed when she lost control while negotiating a corner. Stovall hit the southbound shoulder, overcorrected and the UTV overturned in the roadway, ISP said in a press release. Stovall was ejected and pronounced deceased at the scene. She was not wearing a helmet or a seatbelt.

The passenger, Jeremy M. Oberdorfer, 25, of Spokane, was wearing his seatbelt but no helmet and sustained minor injuries. He was transported to Newport Community Hospital.

Next of kin has been notified.

After a separate accident at 5 p.m. Saturday near the Blanchard Cutoff and Coyote Pass, north of Spirit Lake, police said two adults and two juveniles were taken to the hospital.

Idaho State Police reported that a 2009 Suzuki Equator driven by Gregg Ross, 28, of Priest River, was eastbound on Blanchard Cutoff at a high rate of speed. Ross loss control of the vehicle and it left the road, entering a westbound ditch and striking a tree.

Passenger Brittany Hunter, 27, of Post Falls, was ejected from the vehicle, police reported. Two juveniles were in the back of the vehicle, in car seats.

Ross and the two juveniles were transported by ground ambulance to Kootenai Health, and Hunter was taken there by air ambulance, police reported. All have non life-threatening injuries.

Neither Ross nor Hunter were wearing seatbelts in the crash, which remains under investigation.

On Sunday at about 11:20 a.m. the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and Coeur d’ Alene Fire and Rescue responded to the area of USFS Road 534 and USFS Road 911, near Cascade Saddle in the Magee area for a report of an ATV accident.

Deputies arrived on scene and learned that Jeffrey S. Sater, 59, of Sandpoint, was operating his ATV on USFS Road 534 when he lost control and rolled his machine on the side of the road. Lifeflight was dispatched and transported Sater to Kootenai Health for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

At this time is appears that alcohol was not a factor in the accident and the rider was not wearing a helmet, according to ISP.

Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at clobsinger@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.