BILLINGS, MT – Four teenagers tragically lost their lives in a single-vehicle accident in Montana’s largest city, Billings, according to local authorities. The incident occurred in an industrial area of the city, and officials have pointed to high speed, failure to use seatbelts, and potential alcohol involvement as contributing factors.
The accident took place in the early hours of Saturday morning when the vehicle veered off the road, causing the driver to lose control and collide with a large metal pole supporting a stockyard sign. Two of the victims succumbed to their injuries at the scene, while the remaining two were rushed to a local hospital where they were later pronounced dead.
The deceased, two 14-year-old girls, a 17-year-old boy, and an 18-year-old boy, have not been publicly identified yet. A makeshift memorial was set up at the crash site on Sunday, with community members leaving flowers and heartfelt notes on a posterboard attached to the pole struck by the vehicle.
Ryan Pitman, a friend of the victims, revealed that he had dropped off the two girls at the 18-year-old’s house earlier on the night of the accident. Pitman was returning to pick up the three younger victims when he also had a car accident. Meanwhile, the 17-year-old victim was driving the two girls and the fourth victim home when their fatal accident occurred.
Pitman, a 17-year-old himself, was being treated at the hospital following his crash. Speaking about the victims, he said, “They were all great.”