SHELLEY, ID – Two people were killed Sunday afternoon in a two-vehicle crash in Bingham County that left one car overturned and submerged in a canal.
According to the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, dispatchers received multiple 911 calls at about 1:41 p.m. on October 5 reporting a crash at 1100 East and 1300 North near Shelley. Callers said one of the vehicles, a 2011 Hyundai Sonata, had overturned into a canal with several occupants trapped inside.
Emergency crews from the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, Shelley Police Department, Shelley Fire/EMS, and Idaho Falls EMS responded. When the first officer arrived, several citizens were already in the water attempting to rescue the trapped occupants. Together with first responders, they were able to roll the vehicle onto its side and remove the passengers.
Four people were pulled from the Sonata. A 35-year-old woman and a 2-year-old girl were found unconscious and not breathing. CPR was started, and both were taken to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, where they later died from their injuries. A 43-year-old man and an 11-year-old boy from the same vehicle were also taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The second vehicle, a 2022 Hyundai Palisade, had three occupants — a 27-year-old man and two boys, ages 6 and 4. The driver was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while the two children were uninjured.
Investigators say the Sonata was traveling south on 1100 East and failed to yield at a stop sign before being struck by the eastbound Palisade. The Sonata then overturned into the canal, and the Palisade hit a utility pole.
Deputies said the 2-year-old victim had been in a car seat, but the other three occupants of the Sonata were not wearing seat belts. The Palisade’s driver was also not restrained, though the two children were.
The intersection was closed for about three hours while crash reconstruction and vehicle recovery took place.
Sheriff Jeff Gardner thanked emergency responders and the citizens who helped at the scene, and reminded the public to always wear seat belts.
The crash remains under investigation.
