Hazen woman dies after car accident near Linton

Posted 8/01/12 (Wed)

A Hazen woman died Monday morning after a car accident Sunday night south of Linton, officials said.

Lara Strand, 19, was driving westbound on Highway 13 towards the junction at U.S. Highway 83 when she failed to negotiate the turn, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol. The vehicle crossed the junction into the ditch where Strand appeared to avoid a tree and went off an embankment. The vehicle went end over and landed on its roof in a slough that was about three feet deep.

Her brother, Robert Strand, was able to get out of the 1997 Ford Explorer. Though the Highway Patrol hadn't spoken with the 15-year-old boy as of Tuesday, the Emmons County Sheriff's Office reported that he went to get help, Highway Patrol Trooper Joshua Roddy said

"He tried to find her in the vehicle to get her out but he could not find her," Roddy said, adding the boy flagged down a vehicle to call 9-1-1.

The Emmons County ALS Ambulance arrived on-scene to perform CPR before transporting the siblings to the Linton Hospital where she was pronounced dead at approximately 8:30 a.m. Monday. The Linton Fire Department also the Linton Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office also responded.

No one was wearing seatbelts and alcohol and drugs were not involved, according to the release. The crash remains under investigation.

See full story at the Hazen Star.