Name released on Blaine County fatality

Travis M. Sheffelmaer of Dodson died following a crash on U.S. Highway 2 in Blaine County of injuries unrelated to the crash, and the incident is still under investigation, Blaine County Sheriff John Colby said in a press release.

The release said that Blaine County sheriff’s deputies were doing traffic control Wednesday for a vehicle that had slid into the ditch on U.S. Highway 2 at Mile Marker 409.

Deputies advised that the road conditions were too dangerous to continue with the vehicle that was in the ditch and out of traffic, the release said. As they were attempting to get traffic moving again a pickup truck that was traveling westbound struck a stock trailer that was being pulled by another pickup truck. One of the deputies ran to check on the driver in the pickup pulling the stock trailer. The driver was uninjured.

The deputy then went to check on the driver of the pickup that had hit the trailer. The deputy found the driver slumped over in his seat. The deputy confirmed the driver, Travis M. Scheffelmaer of Dodson, was deceased, the release said.

The passenger was transported to Northern Montana Hospital for minor injuries.

The Montana Highway Patrol responded to investigate the crash, and the Blaine County Sheriff’s/Coroner’s Office is conducting the death investigation, the release said.

Scheffelmaer’s death was determined not related to the any injury sustained in the crash and the investigation is ongoing.