Helena, MT : Coroner identifies one of two people killed on Wednesday, February 22nd 2017

The drivers of two pickup trucks died in a head-on collision Wednesday night near Helena.

The crash occurred when a truck traveling on the wrong side of Highway 12 between Helena and East Helena collided with another pickup just after 10 p.m., said Sgt. Jay Nelson with the Montana Highway Patrol. The truck in the correct lane burst into flames upon impact, and both drivers died at the scene.

Chester French, 46, of Helena, was behind the wheel of the truck heading west in the eastbound lane, Lewis and Clark County Coroner Bryan Backeberg said. The cause of death has yet to be determined.

The other driver has not been identified due to the extent of injuries. The bodies of both men have been sent to the State Crime Lab for autopsy.

Nelson said the wreck was "quite dramatic."

"This was an extremely dynamic collision," Nelson said from the scene. "There's debris from one side of the roadway to the other."

Source :
Coroner identifies one of two people killed