Names Released in Fall River County Fatal Crash

What:    Two vehicle fatal crash
Where:  US Highway 18, mile marker 29, four miles west of Hot Springs, SD
When:   7:18 a.m., Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Driver 1: Timothy James Hammel, 47-year-old male from Hot Springs, SD, minor injuries
Vehicle 1: New Holland Farm Tractor 860TL

Driver 2: Judith Garland Wright, 38-year-old female from Hot Springs, SD, fatal injuries
Vehicle 2: 2011 Subaru Outback
Seat belt Used: Yes
Passenger 2a: 10-year-old male from Fall River, SD, serious, non-life-threatening injuries
Seat belt Used: Yes
Passenger 2b: 6-year-old male from Fall River, SD, life-threatening injuries
Seat belt Used: Yes

Fall River County, S.D.- A Hot Springs woman died and two children were injured when their vehicle collided with a farm tractor four miles west of Hot Springs, SD Tuesday morning.

Preliminary crash information indicates Timothy James Hammel, the driver of a New Holland farm tractor was traveling westbound on US Highway 18 near mile marker 29 pulling farm equipment. At the same time, Judith Garland Wright, the driver of a 2011 Subaru Outback was approaching the farm vehicle from behind and collided with the rear end of the equipment.

Wright died on scene as a result of her injuries. Two juvenile passengers were buckled in child restraint systems. One sustained life-threatening injuries and the other, serious, non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to a Denver hospital. Hammel had minor injuries.

The South Dakota 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.