Thermopolis Man Dies In Crash
A Thermopolis man died in a two-vehicle crash north of Riverton on Saturday afternoon, according to a news release from the Wyoming Highway Patrol.
Michael J. Porath, 25, was driving a pickup southbound on Wyoming Highway 789 just north of the city limits, when for unknown reasons he braked hard, locking the brakes at 3:09 p.m., according to the news release from Patrol Sgt. David Wagener.
The pickup then entered a spin and traveled across the road and crashed into a northbound tractor trailer driven by Richard Chadwick, 60, of Choteau, Mont.
After the collision, the tractor trailer tripped and rolled, causing some the the cargo -- soda ash -- to spill on the highway.
Porath was ejected from the pickup and died at the scene. It is unknown if he was wearing his seat belt.
Chadwick, who was wearing his seat belt, was taken by ground ambulance to SageWest Hospital in Riverton where he was treated and released.
The crash temporarily closed the highway, with traffic being detoured around the crash scene.
The Highway Patrol is investigating speed as the contributing factor in this crash.
This marked the 132nd highway fatality for Wyoming in 2015 compared to 135 fatalities this same time last year.
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