BILLINGS — A fatal crash at a Billings Heights intersection late Thursday killed a 28-year-old woman and left a 42-year-old man in a coma, Billings police confirmed Friday.
The crash happened at the intersection of Hawthorne Lane and Yellowstone River Road when a vehicle struck a scooter. The collision kept the intersection closed for several hours.
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Nearby residents William Rarden and David Isaacson heard the crash happen and witnessed the aftermath.
"I was letting the two dogs out last night, and I heard a really loud crashing sound," Isaacson said.
Rarden expressed grief for the victims and their families.
"They haven't even lived a life yet," Rarden said. "That's just god awful."
While both Rarden and Isaacson were sympathetic to the victims, they were not surprised that a serious crash occurred there, pointing to chronic speeding in the area.
"They drive up and down Yellowstone River Road like it's a freeway," Rarden said.
"People blow through here at 100 miles an hour all the time," Isaacson said.
Longtime Heights resident Jamie Rindahl she grew up in that area and said that it's a problem that has gotten worse over the years.
"It's busier. It's way busier than 1980s, early 90s," Rindahl said.
Rindahl said the growth and development in the Heights is creating more traffic and reckless driving problems. She said with more growth coming, it could continue to get worse.
"With the bridge that just opened, 312, the roundabout, a lot of people are going to be coming through here," Rindahl said. "Plus, we're getting some new stores."
Rindahl also raised concerns about the road's width, which doesn't have a shoulder on either side.
"There's a ditch on one side and railing on the other, and I'm not sure if something happens where people are supposed to go," Rindahl said.
Billings police said Friday they understand the concerns but added they do not respond to an overwhelming number of calls in the area. They also said that speeding is becoming a concern all across the city.
Still, these residents are calling for change, worried about what might happen if it doesn't come.
St Rardon said. "No one else needs to die."
