Pennington County Fatal Crash

What:    Two vehicle fatal crash
Where:  North Cherry Avenue and East North Street, Rapid City, SD
When:   7:15 a.m. MT, Thursday, February 5, 2026

Vehicle 1: 2012 Jeep Liberty
Driver: 30-year-old male from Rapid City, SD, serious, non-life-threatening injuries
Seat belt Used: No
Charges Pending: Yes
Passenger 1a: 43-year-old female from Pine Ridge, SD, minor injuries
Seat belt Used: No 
Charges Pending: Yes
Passenger 1b: 22-year-old female, fatal injuries
Seat belt Used: Yes
Passenger 1c: 35-year-old female from Rapid City, SD, serious, non-life-threatening injuries
Seat belt Used: Under investigation
Passenger 1d: 20-year-old male from Box Elder, SD, serious, non-life-threatening injuries
Seat belt Used: No

Vehicle 2: 2022 Ford F-350
Driver 2: 31-year-old male from Rapid City, SD, minor injuries
Seat belt Used: Yes 

Pennington County, S.D.- A routine traffic stop led to a pursuit and two-vehicle crash injuring five people and one fatally Thursday, February 5 in Rapid City, SD.

The names of the persons involved have not been released pending notification of family members.

Preliminary information indicates during an attempted traffic stop for not having any license plates, the driver of a 2012 Jeep Liberty failed to pull over and a pursuit was initiated. At one point, the driver failed to stop at a stop sign, entering the intersection of North Cherry Avenue and East North Street and was struck by a 2022 Ford F350 traveling eastbound on East North Street.

Four occupants of the Jeep sustained serious injuries and were transported to a local hospital. One of the occupants died yesterday from her injuries. The driver of the Ford sustained minor injuries and was also transported to the hospital.

Charges are pending on two occupants of the Jeep.

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.