Crash kills pregnant woman, son

A devastating head-on collision Thursday night on U.S. 93 between Kalispell and Whitefish claimed the lives of a pregnant Columbia Falls woman and her 13-year-old son.

Erin Julie Thompson, 35, and her son, Caden Vincent Odell, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Ernie Freebury, Flathead County sheriff's sergeant and deputy coroner.

The 16-year-old driver of the other vehicle suffered extensive injuries and was in critical condition Friday night at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where she was taken after being stabilized at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Her name has not been released.

According to the Montana Highway Patrol, Thompson was northbound on U.S. 93 near the intersection with Church Drive at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday when her Subaru Forester was struck head on.

The 16-year-old girl's southbound Pontiac Grand Am appears to have crossed completely into oncoming traffic, said Montana Highway Patrol trooper Glen Barcus.

What caused the girl to veer the vehicle across the center line still is under investigation, Barcus said. Flathead County Undersheriff Pete Wingert said sheriff's detectives have joined troopers in investigating the crash but declined to elaborate.

As of Friday, officers could find no physical evidence that alcohol was a factor in the crash, Barcus said. Other elements of the wreck, including whether excessive speed was a contributing factor, have not been determined.

The West Valley Fire Department was required to extricate the crash victims from both vehicles, the passenger compartments of which were "totally compromised," Barcus said.

Thompson, who was four months pregnant, likely was returning home with her son from a musical performance at Kalispell Middle School, at which Odell was a student and member of the school band. The 16-year-old girl appears to have been on her way home to Evergreen, Barcus said.

Thompson and Odell are the first traffic fatalities in Flathead County this year. Twenty-four people died in crashes on Flathead County highways in 2008.

Reporter Nicholas Ledden can be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at nledden@dailyinterlake.com