MEADE COUNTY, S.D. – The Department of Public Safety and the Highway Patrol have identified a 16-year-old male, killed in a two vehicle crash on I-90 near mile marker 50 Saturday.
Preliminary crash information indicates that a 2023 Freightliner Cascadio had been parked on the shoulder of westbound I-90 near mile marker 50. The semi merged back onto westbound I 90 and sped up to 45-50 miles per hour. A 2023 Kia Sportage struck the trailer in the rear and became lodged underneath the trailer.
The semi driver brought his vehicle to a stop on the westbound shoulder.
Jayden Hayford, age 16, the driver of the Kia Sportage sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. He was not wearing a seatbelt.
The female passenger in the Kia, age 17, sustained serious non-life-threatening injuries and was taken by ambulance to Monument Health in Rapid City. She was not wearing a seatbelt.
Oscar Rodriguez Jr., age 54, the driver of the Freightliner was not injured. He was wearing a seatbelt.
I-90 westbound was closed for about two and a half hours.
South Dakota’s Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. All information released so far is only preliminary.
