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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, April 27, 2013
CONTACT: Capt. Kevin Karley, Lt. David Berkley or Lt. Rick Miller,
S.D. Highway Patrol 605-394-2286
Lawrence County Fatal Crash
What: One-vehicle fatal crash
When: Friday, April 26, 2013, 10:43 p.m.
Where: Homestake Road, five miles west of Spearfish
Driver 1: Gabriel Culver, 27, Dickinson, N.D., serious injuries
Vehicle 1: 1999 Ford F-350 pickup
Alcohol involved: Yes
Passengers:
Nicholas Sukstorf, 24, Spearfish, SD., fatal
Tyler Johnson, 22, Spearfish, S.D., minor injuries
Chandler Harris, 23, Spearfish, S.D., minor injuries
Spearfish, S.D. – A Spearfish, S.D. man died in a one vehicle alcohol related crash five miles west of Spearfish on Friday, April 26.
Gabriel Culver, of Dickinson, N.D., was driving a 1999 Ford F-350 pickup eastbound on Homestake Road, five miles west of Spearfish. He was driving downhill on a gravel and dirt road with three passengers, Nicholas Sukstorf, of Spearfish, Tyler Johnson, of Spearfish and Chandler Harris, of Spearfish. He lost control of the pickup on the right side of the road, over-corrected his steering and went into the north ditch where the pickup struck an electrical box and then the side of a concrete bridge. The pickup went into the concrete area below the bridge and landed onto its side.
Neither the driver, Culver, nor the front seat passenger, Sukstorf were wearing a seatbelt. Culver sustained serious injuries and was transported to Spearfish Regional hospital by ambulance; Sukstorf passed away at the scene of the crash. Culver and Sukstorf had to be extricated from the vehicle. Both backseat passengers, Johnson and Harris were wearing seatbelts and received minor injuries.
Culver had been drinking and is being charged with Vehicular Homicide, DUI 2nd, and Careless Driving.
No further information is immediately available.
The South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating. Lawrence County Sherriff’s Department, Spearfish Police Department, Spearfish Ambulance and Spearfish Fire Department assisted.
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