ACTON — A Sunday drive home turned into a life-saving mission for one Acton family, who stumbled upon a fiery crash just seconds after it happened.
Destiny Williams and her family were on their way home from church in Billings to their home in Acton when suddenly, after rounding the bend on Highway 3, they found themselves facing the scene of a deadly crash, which they missed by just seconds.
Listen to the Acton family's account of the deadly crash:
“It was pretty chaotic. At first, I didn't really understand what was happening," said Williams. "Immediately, I just knew I needed to get out and help if needed.”
Around 12:15 p.m., Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Breenen Plucker attempted to stop a speeding vehicle, but when the driver refused to stop, the trooper initiated a pursuit. The driver then slammed into a semi truck head-on near mile marker 12, causing the trooper to roll his vehicle in an attempt to avoid the wreck.
Related: Trooper injured in high-speed pursuit north of Billings; crash sparks grass fire
Destiny, who is a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and has extensive medical experience, ran out of the car with her husband, Rodney, behind her to help. They went straight to the mangled patrol vehicle where the trooper was stuck inside, and others on scene had struggled to get the door open.
"He was pretty banged up, you can tell, but I was able to reach in and open the door and then pulled it open with both hands," said Williams. "My husband and I just grabbed both arms and walked to the edge of the road and sat him down and assessed him a little bit and was able to make sure that he was not actively dying.”
She then assessed the driver of the semi truck, who was visibly shaken, and helped comfort him with water and reassurance. Williams and the others stayed on scene until more first responders arrived.
"I have a license to do CPR and I was just ready to put my first aid skills to use, so just ready to help in whatever way I could,” said Williams.
The suspect's vehicle was nearly unrecognizable after the wreck and had caught on fire. Shortly after, it ignited a grass fire that burned 110 acres before being contained. The suspect was pronounced dead on the scene.
"It was just really burnt up," said Williams. "I mean it caught on fire and just quickly grew."
Both the semi-truck driver and the trooper were released from the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
"(The trooper's) trained to roll the vehicle, which he did and I would assume saved his life," said Williams. "From the looks of it, very well protected by those airbags, considering everything he went through.”
All the while, her three children were watching from a safe distance in the family car and waited several hours to be questioned by authorities before leaving.
The stretch of Highway 3 near Acton has seen multiple deadly crashes in recent years. In 2023, three serious accidents with two fatalities occurred in a single week, raising concerns about safety along the two-lane route. While Williams noted that most accidents occur from wildlife crossings or winter conditions, the road does have several blind spots.
Related: 3 crashes in a week prompt concerns about Highway 3 safety north of Billings
The Montana Highway Patrol has declined to comment publicly on the decision to pursue the suspect, but the crash is under review by the Montana Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation.
For Destiny and her family, the day will stick in their minds as a stark reminder of the importance of safe driving.
“This experience has definitely made me realize how much it doesn't just impact me if I were to get in an accident," said Williams. "It would impact anybody coming up on the scene, the first responders, anybody helping out. It's definitely made me realize that it's not just about me when I'm driving down the highway and especially when my kids are in the car.”
