Jody Dean Eisenbarth dies in fatal head-on crash near Acton
Fatal car crash death of Jody Dean Eisenbarth north of Billings
The authorities have confirmed that Jody Dean Eisenbarth, a resident of Billings, is the person involved in a fatal collision occurring during a Montana Highway Patrol pursuit. This information has been released by the Yellowstone County coroner’s office.
The 53-year-old Eisenbarth passed away as a result of significant impact injuries sustained in the accident on U.S. Highway 3. The responsible agency is currently examining the specific circumstances related to his death.
The unfortunate incident also triggered a substantial blaze covering an estimated 110 acres along the highway. Fortunately, this fire has been contained and put out. At the time of the accident, authorities rerouted traffic via Shepherd-Acton Road and Shorey Road.
Highway 3 fire and collision
Elevated smoke was observed on Highway 3 near Acton following an event on July 5th. Photo: LARRY MAYER, Billings Gazette
According to the Montana Highway Patrol, an officer attempted to intercept Eisenbarth on Sunday afternoon because he was going too fast. Eisenbarth did not comply with the officer’s request to slow down.
Tragically, Eisenbarth later crashed head-on into a large semi-truck near mile marker 12 in Acton. Medical professionals pronounced him deceased at the scene.
Neither the driver of the semi-truck nor the pursuing trooper suffered serious injuries. The trooper successfully avoided a direct head-on impact by maneuvering his vehicle and rolling it. He was treated in a hospital but was able to leave on the same evening.
Both the semi-truck driver and the trooper involved in the pursuit experienced minor injuries from the collision. The trooper dodged the semi-truck and then rolled his own vehicle to prevent a more severe crash. This officer was briefly hospitalized before being discharged later that evening.
Eisenbarth was initially cited by the patrol for exceeding the speed limit during the pursuit, although the full context of the speeding charge is not specified. The ongoing investigation by the coroner’s office aims to determine the complete picture of what occurred leading up to the fatal crash.
