Name of Havre crash fatality released

Editor’s note: This version corrects the name of Mount Joy, Pennsylvania.

Name of Havre crash fatality released

By Tim Leeds

The name of the man who died as a result of a two-vehicle crash at the end of a high-speed pursuit in Havre early Sunday morning has been released.

Hill County Sheriff and Coroner Jamieson Ross said Wendall V. Howard of Havre, 26, was the man who died.

The passenger in the 2017 Hyundai Sonata Howard was driving, a 20-year-old Billings woman, and the driver of the Infinity Qx80 SUV the Sonata hit, a 29-year-old man from Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, both were transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash.

The pursuit began Sunday about 3:55 a.m. when a Havre police officer spotted the Sonata, reported stolen on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, on the 400 Block of 14th Avenue. The officer attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Howard drove away at a high rate of speed.

The officer pursued the vehicle eastbound on U.S. Highway 2, calling for assistance from the Hill and Blaine county sheriff’s offices, but ended the pursuit when the officer was unable to catch up to the vehicle.

An officer stationed on the east end of Havre saw the vehicle coming back into town westbound on First Street at 4:08 a.m. and started pursuit.

The Sonata crashed into the Infinity at 4:09 a.m. on the 1300 Block of First Street.

Howard was pronounced dead at the scene.

Montana Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

Highway Patrol reported Sunday speed was a factor and drugs and alcohol have not been ruled out as factors in the crash.