Names Released In Campbell County Fatal Crash

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Wednesday, July 10, 2019

CONTACT: Tony Mangan, Public Information Officer, 605-280-5648

 

 Names Released In Campbell County Fatal Crash

 

No Name Pronouncers Available

 

What:    Two-Vehicle Fatal Crash

Where:  U.S. Highway 83, mile marker 231

              Two miles south of Herried, S.D.

When:   7:04 p.m., Tuesday, July 2, 2019

 

Driver No. 1: Ernest Fjeldheim, 82, Mound City, S.D., Fatal Injuries

Vehicle: 2019 Buick LaCrosse

 

Driver No. 2:  Asmerom Gebreselassie, 36, Fargo, N.D.,  No Injuries

Vehicle: 2015 Freightliner Cascadia

 

HERREID, S.D. – A Mound City, S.D., man has been identified as the person who died from injuries sustained in a two-vehicle crash Tuesday, July 2 south of Herreid.

 

A 2015 Freightliner Cascadia semi truck and trailer were northbound on U.S. Highway 83. While trying to pass a second vehicle, the semi truck collided with a southbound Buick LaCrosse. The collision occurred in the southbound lane.

 

Ernest Fjeldheim, 82,was driving the Buick. He was not wearing a seatbelt and suffered life threatening injuries. He died Thursday, July 4, in a Bismarck, N.D. hospital.

 

Asmerom Gebreselassie, 36, of Fargo, N.D., was driving the semi. He was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured. Charges are pending against him

 

That section of U.S. Highway 83 was closed to traffic for more than three hours after the crash.

 

South Dakota’s Highway Patrol continues to investigate the crash.

 

The Highway Patrol is part 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.