Two crashes occur Friday in construction zone near Jamestown

May 18—JAMESTOWN — Two crashes occurred on Interstate 94 in a construction zone near Jamestown on Friday evening, May 17, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol.

The patrol said in a news release that a two-vehicle crash happened at about 7 p.m. near milepost 261. At the time of the crash, the roadway was dry, and it was not raining. The area of the crash is in a construction zone and eastbound traffic was diverted into the westbound lanes in a head-to-head configuration.

The patrol said a 2021 Nissan Rogue driven by 21-year-old Alessandra I. Reynolds of West Fargo, N.D., was eastbound in the transition zone to merge back onto eastbound I-94 when she struck several "Big Sandy" crash cushion attenuator barrels and the vehicle overturned. The vehicle came to rest facing south in the transition merge lane to eastbound I-94, blocking traffic.

Debris from the barrel strike entered the westbound lanes, where a 2007 Cadillac was struck. The driver, Carmen McBride, 68, of Jamestown, was not injured.

Both drivers were wearing seat belts. Reynolds sustained minor injuries from the crash. She was treated on scene by Jamestown Area Ambulance and transported to the Jamestown Regional Medical Center. She was cited for careless driving, the patrol said.

Around 7:25 p.m., a second crash occurred west of this location on I-94 in the construction zone.

At this time the roadway was wet, and it was raining. A 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Cora Smith, 30, of Golden Valley, North Dakota, was eastbound on I-94. She was slowing for traffic that had slowed for the first crash when her vehicle was rear-ended by a semi. Her vehicle came to rest in the westbound lane facing northwest.

The driver of the 2023 Volvo truck, Robert Dieterle, 79, of Bismarck, continued eastbound, striking a second vehicle. The semi was disabled in the eastbound lane.

The 2018 Chrysler Pacifica driven by Laura E. Thiel, 48, of Powell, Wyoming, entered the median after being stuck by the semi. The vehicle came to rest facing west. Thiel had two passengers, Kenneth Reyerson, 85, and Kjellaug Reyerson, 80, of Sharon, North Dakota. Dieterle, Thiel and the Reyersons were not injured. Smith was treated for minor injuries by Jamestown Area Ambulance and transported to JRMC.

Charges for Dieterle are pending investigation, the patrol said.

Traffic on I-94 was shut down for approximately one hour while responders worked to remove vehicles and clear the roadway of debris from both crashes.

Other agencies responding were the Stutsman County Sheriff's Office, Jamestown Police Department, Jamestown Fire and Rescue and North Dakota Department of Transportation.

Both crashes remain under investigation by the North Dakota Highway Patrol.