For Immediate Release: Monday, May 18, 2015

Contact:  Captain Rob Weinmeister, Lt. Doug Coughlin, Lt. Caleb Walters

South Dakota Highway Patrol, Aberdeen, 605-626-2286 or

Tony Mangan, Department of Public Safety, 605-773-6196

Walworth County Fatal Crash

What: Two-vehicle fatal crash

Where: U.S. Highway 12, eight miles west of Bowdle

When: 4:10 p.m.  Sunday, May 17, 2015

Driver No. 1:  David Hoffman, 57, Colton, S.D., Fatal                     

Passengers:  William Hoffman, 50, White Lake, S.D., Serious Non-Life Threatening Injuries

                      Ron Hoffman, 58, Sioux Falls, S.D., Life Threatening Injuries

                      Deloris Hoffman, 80, Colton, S.D., Life Threatening Injuries

Vehicle:        2004 Buick Century

Driver No. 2:   Gwen Faehnrich, 45, Mobridge, S.D., Life Threatening Injuries

Passenger:       JoAnn Reff, 47, Aberdeen, S.D., Serious Non-Life Threatening Injuries

Vehicle:            2013 Chevy Equinox

BOWDLE, S.D. – A Colton, S.D. man, identified as David Hoffman, was killed and five others seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash that occurred Sunday on U.S. Highway 12, eight miles west of Bowdle.

The South Dakota Highway Patrol says Hoffman, 57, was driving a 2004 Buick Century east on U.S. Highway 12. The second driver, Gwen Faehnrich, 45, Mobridge, S.D. was driving a 2013 Chevy Equinox west on U.S. Highway 12 when she attempted to pass a semi truck. Her vehicle hit the Hoffman vehicle nearly head-on. The accident was reported at 4:10 p.m. Sunday.

David Hoffman was pronounced dead at the scene. There were three passengers in the vehicle.  William Hoffman, 50, White Lake, S.D., sustained serious non-life threatening injuries. Ron Hoffman, 58, Sioux Falls, S.D., and Deloris Hoffman, 80, Colton, S.D., received life threatening injuries.

Faehnrich received life threatening injuries. A passenger, JoAnn Reff, 47, Aberdeen, suffered serious non-life threatening injuries.

The injured were transported to hospitals in Aberdeen, Sioux Falls, Mobridge, Bowdle and Bismarck, N.D.

The Highway Patrol continues to investigate the accident.

Agencies responding to the crash were Bowdle Fire and Rescue, Selby Fire and Rescue, Hoven Ambulance, Mobridge Ambulance, Walworth County Emergency Management, Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, Edmunds County Sheriff’s Office and Bismarck, N.D. Care Flight.

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Note: Records of state-reportable crashes are now available at http://www.safesd.gov/ Records should be available about 10 days after the incident.