County sees increase in accidents
BY ALYSSA MEIER
Editor
Temperatures aren’t the only thing going up this summer, as authorities are seeing an increase in motor vehicle accidents throughout the county.
Between May and June 2016, 18 motor vehicle accidents were reported in McLean County. With a few days left in June this year, that number has already increased by over 25 percent, to a total of 23 accidents as of Monday.
Within the period of 10 days, there have been four crashes in the Washburn and Underwood area, including Saturday’s fatal accident on U.S. Highway 83.
A 34-year-old woman and her 5-year-old daughter were both taken to Bismarck by ambulance June 19 after their Toyota Prius sustained heavy damage in an accident just west of Washburn. The driver, Tenisha Tate of Oklahoma, was driving eastbound on Highway 200A when she crossed the center line and collided with a Freightliner driven by a Turtle Lake man. The occupants of the Toyota were both treated for minor injuries.
The following afternoon, another two-vehicle collision took place nearby, when a pickup struck a car at the intersection of U.S. Highway 83 and N.D. 200A. A Chevrolet Silverado driven by Darrin Rittenbach of Turtle Lake was crossing N.D. 200A when it hit a Toyota Camry driving southbound. The Camry spun toward the south ditch before coming to a stop against a light pole. One of the two passengers in the car was taken to St. Alexius in Bismarck for treatment of rib pain. Rittenbach was cited for failure to yield.
