(Update 8:20 p.m. 11-19-21) Lewis and Clark County Sheriff/Coroner Leo Dutton has released the name of the woman that died in a car crash on I-15 in Helena on Friday.
"The deceased's name is Bridget Kirby, 20-year-old female from Spokane Washington. The next of kin has been notified. Our condolences go out to her family and Carroll College where she was a student," said Dutton in a statement.
Dutton added the cause is under investigation awaiting autopsy results.
(FIRST REPORT) The Helena Police Department (HPD) says a man has been arrested involving a fatal crash Friday morning at the I-15 and Cedar Northbound off-ramp.
19-year-old Hunter Nicely, a Carroll College football player, has been charged for or driving under the influence, felony vehicular homicide, negligent vehicular assault, reckless driving, underage possession of alcohol, seatbelt violation, and open container of alcohol in a vehicle.
Officers were dispatched to the I-15 interchange around 2:00 a.m. for a report of a rollover crash involving one vehicle with a passenger that had been ejected.
Upon arrival, officers and paramedics tended to an unresponsive female. Life-saving efforts were unsuccessful and the 20-year-old woman was declared to be deceased at the scene. Another female passenger was transported to the hospital via ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries.
Officers met with Nicely who had been driving the vehicle, during which officers say they noticed impairment. He was then booked into the Lewis and Clark County Detention Center.
HPD says the case remains under investigation, but note speed was determined to be a contributing factor.
Nicely appeared in Lewis and Clark Justice Court Friday afternoon. He was released on his own recognizance with the conditions of wearing a SCRAM bracelet for alcohol monitoring and must sign up with pre-trial services.
