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2 Montana residents killed in Wyoming highway crash

Fatal Crash
Posted at 12:02 PM, Jul 19, 2021
and last updated 2021-07-19 14:02:16-04

Two Montana residents were killed and a third injured in a multi-vehicle crash Sunday near Evanston, Wyo.

According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the crash happened at about 2 p.m. on Interstate 80.

The patrol said a 2002 Totota RAV-4 and 2013 Ford F-150 were stopped in traffic due to an earlier crash blocking the roadway when the driver of a 2018 GMC Sierra failed to see the stopped traffic and collided with the Toyota, which then hit the back of the Ford.

The driver of the Toyota, 71-year-old William J. Baker of Wolf Point, was seriously injured and later died after being transported by helicopter to a hospital in Utah.

A juvenile passenger, Scobey J. Baker also of Wolf Point, died at the scene, the patrol said. Both were wearing a seatbelt.

A second passenger, 19-year-old Kade Baker also of Wolf Point, was injured and transported to a hospital in Evanston.

The driver of the GMC has been identified as 29-year-old Greeley, Colo. resident Braylin Wertenberger, who was not wearing a seatbelt. Wertenberger was transported to a hospital in Evanston. A passenger has been identified as 42-year-old Brighton, Colo. resident Mollie Wright. Wright was not wearing a seatbelt and was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Utah.

The driver of the Ford has been identified as 36-year-old Bluffdale, Utah resident Rosario Ortiz Garcia. Ortiz Garcia was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured in the crash. The passengers in the Ford have been identified as 46-year-old West Valley, Utah resident Maria Lopez, and one juvenile passenger. They were both restrained correctly, and Lopez was transported to a hospital in Evanston.

The patrol said driver inattention and speed on the part of Wertenberger are being investigated as potential contributing factors.