The South Dakota Highway Patrol has released the name of the 83-year-old woman killed in a freak accident Friday morning near Sturgis when her car was hit by a boat on a trailer that had detached from the pickup pulling it.
The Patrol says Carol Olson of Faith was traveling south on Hwy 79 while 44-year old Cody Thomson of Sommerset was northbound in a pickup truck pulling a trailered pontoon boat.
As the vehicles neared each other, the trailer coupler disconnected from the pickup and the safety chains failed to control the trailer and boat.
The trailer went into the southbound lane, still carrying the boat, and hit Olson’s car. The trailer, boat, and car all came to rest on the southbound shoulder and in the west ditch.
Olson, who was wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene while Thomson and his passenger, 44-year old Steve Baumker of Rapid City were unhurt.