FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022

CONTACT: Tony Mangan, Public Information Officer, 605-773-6196

Names Released In Brookings County Fatal Crash

What:    Two-Vehicle Crash

Where:  Interstate 29, mile marker 132

              One mile south of Brookings, S.D.

When:   10:51 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022

Driver No. 1: Kelley Rodriguez, 40, Lincoln, NE, Fatal Injuries

Vehicle: 2020 Chevy Equinox

Driver No. 2: James Vaniperen, 39, Davis, S.D., Serious Non-Life Threatening Injuries

Vehicle: 2020 Mack Anthem Truck and Tanker

 BROOKINGS, S.D. –  A Lincoln, NE woman has been identified as the person who died Wednesday morning in a two-vehicle crash south of Brookings.

Preliminary crash information indicates that a 2020 Chevy Equinox was stationery in the driving lane of Interstate 29 when it was rear-ended by a 2020 Mack Anthem truck and tanker. The Equinox was pushed into the east ditch and came to rest against a sign. The truck and tanker also went into the east ditch, across a service road and came to rest on the railroad tracks.

Kelley Rodriguez, 40, was the driver of the Equinox. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

James Vaniperen of Davis, S.D., 39, was the truck driver. He sustained serious non-life threatening injuries and was transported to a Brookings hospital.

Both drivers were wearing seatbelts.

South Dakota’s Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. All information released so far is only preliminary.

The Highway Patrol is an agency of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.

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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 investigation is complete.