The South Dakota Highway Patrol has released the names from a fatal accident last Tuesday afternoon on Hwy 16 near Rapid City.
Killed in the accident was 78-year old Kathryn Stverak of Box Elder while 66-year old Barry Porter of Rapid City and his 65-year old wife Marina both suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
The Highway Patrol says Stverak was eastbound about 5 miles west of Rapid City around 12:30 when her car veered to the right and struck a guardrail.
It then crossed both eastbound lanes and went through the median and into the westbound lanes, where it collided head-on with the Porters’ westbound SUV.
Stverak, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was flown to a Rapid City hospital but later died. The Porters both had to be extricated from the SUV, but were wearing seatbelts. They were driven to te hospital.
The accident forced the closure of both lanes of Hwy 16 for 48 minutes with another 12 minutes needed before both lanes reopened.