Serious Vehicle Accident Results in Two Fatalities in Grand Teton National Park

June 24, 2008
08-31
A head-on collision between a passenger car and a semi truck hauling a car transport trailer resulted in the death of two people in Grand Teton National Park. The accident occurred Monday afternoon, June 23, at 4:30 p.m. on Highway 26/89/191, approximately 1.5 miles south of the Moose junction.

Teton Interagency Dispatch received a report of the accident from the Teton County Sheriff’s Office shortly after it occurred. Approximately 10 park rangers and emergency medical personnel along with Jackson Hole Fire/EMS personnel immediately responded to the scene, and several Teton Interagency fire staff helped with traffic control at various intersections near the accident site. In addition to the park response, several Teton County sheriffs and a Wyoming Highway Patrol officer assisted with traffic control and an accident reconstruction investigation. Other mutual aid assistance included a Teton County ambulance, and the Teton County rescue vehicle with an extrication team, responding from Jackson, Wyoming.

Details on the cause of the accident will become available after the investigation is completed. The two deceased persons were visitors from Belgium. Their identities are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Due to the serious nature of the accident and the position of the semi truck and its trailer, Highway 26/89/191 was closed from 4:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Traffic was rerouted through detours along the Antelope Flats Road and the Moose-Wilson Road.